DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-131, September 22, 2001
edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com
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DX AND MEDIA PROGRAMS update:
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxpgms.html
WORLD OF RADIO 1097 32 kpbs 6.68 MB:
(STREAM) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1097.ram
(DOWNLOAD) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1097.rm
WORLD OF RADIO 1097 experimental 16 kbps 3.42 MB:
(STREAM) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1097a.ram
(DOWNLOAD) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1097a.rm
WORLD OF RADIO 1097 via WRN:
http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html
WOR 1097 SUMMARY:
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1097.html
** AFGHANISTAN. Voice of Sharia'h: I noted on Sept. 17th at 0058 a
station sign on with a programme on 7092v kHz. Heard anthem
(presumed), Holy Qur`an and talks about Muslims, also about Osama bin
Laden. Frequency drifts during transmission to lower side: from 7092
to 7088 during two hours. Voice of Sharia'h was audible until 0245
when another station, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan with a stronger signal
turned on the adjacent frequency- 7090 kHz (Robertas Petraitis,
Lithuania, Sep 17, 2001 for Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD)
7085v, V of Shariah. Based on a tip from C Constantinides I tried
today Sep 18 at 0430 to log V of Shariah; however did not find them
except the transmission of V of Iraqi Kurdistan on 7090 as per log
under K.
More on this station: On 17-9 at 1550 found on 7087 with man with
news in Arabic, 1554 with Qur`an, strong QRM in both sidebands. On
18-9 at 1508 found on 7082 drifting downwards with man, talks in
Farsi. S2. At 1515 with jammer for one minute (level S5); 1530 with
program in English starting with the hymn of Taleban, then
immediately with news referring to Islamic war, Islamic America and
Mujahedeen (what was easy to catch even with SINPO at 22242 as after
1535 a strong noise caused much more difficult reception). 19-9 did
not found anything. ICOM R 75 + 16 m on house (Zacharias Liangas,
Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
7084v, Radio Voice of Shari'ah, the mouth piece of Taliban heard at
tune in Sept 19 0140 while a male talking in Pushtu. Only male
announcers could be heard through out the transmission time, 0210 a
regional characteristic religious hymn "Ishadah", performed by a
group of youth males with tambourines. Generally poor, S3 with
sporadic weak amateurs QRM ,minor drift to 7083 by the time they sign
off 0240 (Mahmud Fathi, Germany, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
7084.9 V. of Shariah, Kabul, Sep 15 1645-1657 33322-34332, Unknown
(Urdu?) and Russian, Koran. Russian ID at 1651. ID as [Govorit
Radio...Shariah, Afganistan, Kabul]. Talk. // Sep 16 7085.8 (Kouji
Hashimoto) 7087.1 V. of Shariah, Kabul, Sep 17 1535-1559 33333-34333
English and Arabic, Talk. English ID at 1536. ID as [Voice of
Shaliah]. Arabic ID at 1544. Arabic Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, ALL: Japan
Premium via DXLD)
** AFGHANISTAN. Voice of Shari'a Audio needed
September 18, 2001 by Nick Grace - grace@clandestineradio.com
Dear Colleagues,
With war imminent I am asking for your help to collect and archive
English-language broadcasts of the Taliban's Voice of Shari'a on
ClandestineRadio.com so that people all over the world can listen in
over the Web. Unfortunately, reception here in the States is
impossible so I am writing to you and to other prominent European
and Asian DX'ers to ask for your help in this endeavor.
What I hope to accomplish is a daily online archive of each day's 15
minute English-language broadcast. The audio, of course, will not
be exclusive to ClandestineRadio.com but will be made public for use
by other non-commercial Web sites and DX clubs/newsletters. Reception
does not have to be perfect and it also does not matter whether
the program was heard on SW or MW.
There is a tremendous amount of interest in Afghanistan right now,
and this could be a good chance to promote SW listening. In
addition, the broadcasts from Kabul are pieces of a history we are
living today. The only access foreign journalists have to the
Taliban is through the Voice of Shari'a and its broadcasts. It
would be wonderful if we could ensure that this example of
propaganda is not lost...
If anyone can help with this endeavor full credit will be given, of
course, and the recordings will be made available to anyone who
wishes to share in them. (Unless of course you would prefer
exclusivity; I am open to any and all suggestions.) I would be very
open to the idea of running this project together with other DX Web
sites/ organizations.
Since time is of the essence I would like to begin archiving the
broadcasts as soon as possible. Any and all audio formats (real,
wav, windows media, etc) are fine and the files can be large. If
you know anyone who may be interested in helping with this please
pass my message along.
Thanks for your time. I hope to hear from you soon... Best 73's,
(Nick Grace C. ClandestineRadio.com Washington, DC, CRW via DXLD)
** AFGHANISTAN. Media Hot Spots: Afghanistan
When the anti-terrorist military operation gets under way, it's
widely expected that the first target will be Afghanistan. We look at
information sources available in that country. Today for the first
time, my colleagues in the Radio Netherlands Programme Distribution
Department were successful in recording the Voice of Shariya on 1107
kHz via a remote receiver in Pakistan. Over the weekend, unless
events intervene, I intend to encode a sample of the broadcast which
we`ll put on line early next week. Here in the Media Network office
we've just connected a new antenna to the NRD-525 so that we can
monitor and record events as they unfold.
http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/afghanistan010917.html
(Andy Sennitt, Media Network Sept 21 via John Noroflk, DXLD)
** ANTARCTICA [and non]. 9032, Ice 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 working
Auckland, Mac Center, Mac Weather. Also heard South Pole and Mac
Relay. Position reports monitored (John Charlton, Greymouth, NZ,
Kenwood 5000, 30 m wire, Sept NZ DX Times via DXLD)
** BELARUS [non]. A correction of Radio Racyja schedule: Sorry but my
information in the CRW 079 with a schedule of Radio Racyja was
uncorrect. Thinking about Polish transmitters I automatically
converted the announced local times from Polish in to UT. But times
really were Belarusian, not Polish! Anyway my information about the
new transmissions on MW 1080 kHz was correct: real 1900-2200 UT, but
announced 1900-2100 UT. Other announced times and frequencies are
(with correct conversation in to UT now): 0400-0600 on 6035, 1000-
1200 on 6180, 1800-2000 on 6010, 0500-0900 on 612 kHz (R. Petraitis,
Lithuania, Sep 14, for CRW via DXLD)
** BOLIVIA. RADIO AYOPAYA, informações e esquema de transmissão:
Radio Ayopaya es parte del CCA y funciona desde hace 5 años, fue
inaugurada el 7 de abril de 1996, con un transmisor en FM de 25 W de
potencia que servia como enlace para el Transmisor de AM con una
potencia de 1 KW. Actualmente trabaja de la siguiente manera:
Los estudios de nuestra radio se hallan ubicados en el pueblo de
Independencia que se encuentra a una altura de 2600 m.s.n.m. Desde
los estudios se emite la señal con un transmisor FM de 25W a otro
Transmisor FM - 96.5Mhz de 300W que se encuentra a una distancia de
10 Km en el cerro mas alto de la región llamado ACUTANI a 4200
m.s.n.m. Estos equipos trabajan desde las 5:00 a. m. a 23:00 p.m. y
con esa potencia logramos cubrir un 80 % del territorio de la
provincia que se encuentra enclavado en la cordillera del Tunari.
Para las comunidades mas alejadas y los oyentes que gustan de
nuestros idiomas nativos decidimos convertir nuestro transmisor de AM
a ONDA CORTA y desde junio del 2001 estamos transmitiendo con las
siguientes características:
Frecuencia en onda corta: 3344 Khz, Banda de 90 m. Potencia del
Transmisor: 1 KW Altura de ubicación: 2850 m.s.n.m. Horario de
trabajo: 5:00 - 8:00 y 18:30 - 21:30 (Hora Boliviana) Horario de
trabajo: 9:00 -12:00 y 22:30 - 01:30 (Hora UTC)
Uno de nuestros principales objetivos de radio AYOPAYA es ser fuente
informativa para pueblos, comunidades y aldeas de la provincia,
usando los tres idiomas que se practica en la zona, el quechua,
Aymará y Castellano, también ser medio de información, educación,
concientización, diversión y recreamiento sano, para todas las edades
del público oyente. Las personas que trabajan en la radio son del
lugar (no profesionales) que se han ido formando a través del trabajo
diario en la radio, pequeños cursos presenciales y a distancia. Es
una radioemisora comunitaria de apoyo a la educación y formación de
las familias campesinas. Nuestra dirección es la siguiente: Centro
Cultural Ayopayamanta Plaza Fidel Anze # 5, acera Sud Teléfono-Fax::
00591 4 244909 Telefono: 00591 4 292519 Email: culayo@s... [truncated
by yahoogroups but has appeared previously in DXLD] (Lic. Norma
Estrada, COORDINADORA y Ing. Jorge Aquino, ASESOR, Rádio Ayopaya, via
Samuel Cássio, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD)
** BRAZIL. Emissoras brasileiras inativas em ondas tropicais nestes
últimos dias: 3245 R. Clube, Varginha-MG. 4825 R. Canção Nova,
Cachoeira Paulista-SP. 4925 R. Difusora, Taubaté- SP (Samuel Cássio,
São Carlos, SP, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD)
** CANADA. CBC Preview: THE TRANSCONTINENTAL. Coming up this Sunday
on The Transcontinental, a traditional favourite. Host Otto Lowy
plays music in honour of the Jewish High Holidays. It's a program
that always garners lots of calls and letters, so don't miss it! The
Transcontinental, Sunday at 1:00 p.m. on CBC Radio Two (CBC Hotsheet
via DXLD) Webcast is only from Toronto, EDT zone, so 1700 UT; but
Vancouver Radio One also airs it at 7 a.m. PDT, 1400 UT Sunday (gh,
DXLD)
** CANADA. Re last week`s DRM tests via Sackville, which we heard on
21760, tho the noise was louder at 21755 and 21765. See also
NETHERLANDS (gh)
Habe mir heute einmal die DRM-Testsendung von R Canada International
aus Sackville auf 21760 von 1500-1600 UTC mit analogen Equipment
angehört.
Mit dem 6 kHz-Filter wurde durch den DRM-Signalkern der
Frequenzbereich 21751.5 - 21768.5 in CW-Mode mit S 9+15dB (gemessen
bei 21760) beansprucht.
(Dies entspricht (beim NRD) einem QRG-Bereich 21750-21767 in USB-Mode
oder 21753-21770 im LSB Modus.)
Mit dem 2,3 kHz-Filter wurde etwa 21753.5 - 21766.5 in CW mit S
9+10db (21760) gemessen. (Entspricht 21752-21765 USB / 21755-21768
LSB)
Innerhalb diesem etwa 20 kHz breiten Frequenzbereich wäre im
Konkurrenzfall sicherlich kein weiterer, analoger Sender brauchbar
aufzunehmen.
Zudem waren die Flanken des DRM-Signals als wesentlich leiseres,
rauhes Rauschen noch bis etwa +/- 50 kHz hörbar. Somit wäre DX im
Bereich von 21710-21750 und 21770-21810 nur eingeschränkt möglich
gewesen.
Als Referenzwert: Das Bandrauschen lag an der ALA-1530 bei etwa S 2,5
auf 21760 um 1603 nach c/d 16:01:03 des DRM-Tests.
Angesichts dieser Erfahrung frage ich mich, wie eine
zufriedenstellende gemeinsame Bandbelegung in digital und analog
erfolgen soll...
Selbst bei einer immerhin denkbaren Aufteilung der Rundfunkbänder in
für digitale und analoge Übertragungsarten reservierte Bereiche
stellt sich mir die Frage, wieviel Platz denn das DRM-Signal nun
wirklich braucht. Kann man im Abstand von 20 kHz DRM-Ausstrahlungen
plazieren, oder kommt es dabei zu gegenseitiger Störung des
Datenstroms durch die breiten Flanken? Weiss jemand was? (Silken
Medert, Germany, A-DX Sep 16 via BCDX via DXLD)
** CANADA. RCI Action Committee update:
If you haven't done so recently, may I suggest that you pay a visit
to the RCI Action Committee website. There are a couple of
interesting items that have been added to the site in recent days
which are well worth a look. http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/
First is a FLASH headlined "Decision on RCI's Future Delayed". This
is a most interesting development at RCI detailed in a memo to RCI
staff from RCI General Manager Denis Doucet.
Also, under the headline "See the RCI Newsroom on a Weekend", you
will find an absolutely mind-boggling photograph of a completely
empty RCI newsroom taken on a weekend.
Particularly given the developments of the last two weeks on the
world stage, it is simply beyond logic, to me at least, that someone
hasn't yet realized just what a ridiculous decision shutting down our
Canadian international broadcaster's newsroom on weekends is!
Time for me to fire off another letter those ever-wise decision
makers. How about you? (Sheldon Harvey, Sept 22, swprograms via DXLD)
** CANADA [non]. I just heard about this story and checked out the
archived version of the CBC Radio programme, The House, of September
15, 2001.
On the programme, about 10 minutes or so into the broadcast, is an
interview with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley. He is
being asked how he heard about the attacks on New York and Washington
on September 11, and where he was at the time.
It turns out he was on an Air Canada flight about a sesquihour out of
Frankfurt, Germany, heading back to Canada, when a flight attendant
went to him and asked to speak with him privately. The attendant said
that they had heard about a terrorist attack on New York and
Washington.
Manley was immediately taken to the cockpit of the aircraft, and he
and the pilots listened on headphones ... to the BBC World Service...
to get the latest updates on what was taking place.
Once again, the reach of shortwave broadcasting. I guess it goes
without saying that he wasn't listening to a North American service
of BBC!" (Sheldon Harvey, QC, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
90 minutes out of Frankfurt heading for Canada would, by my
estimation, mean they were above or close to Ireland. It would have
been around 1330 UTC. I would guess they were tuned to 12095, which
is mainly a European frequency (Andy Sennitt, ibid.)
** CUBA [non]. Miami 21 de Septiembre, 2001. La Cadena Univisión
anunció hoy en su Noticiero local a las 6:00 PM que la "Voz de la
Fundación" realizó su ultima emisión en Onda Corta. Con anterioridad
se habia anunciado, que una de las causas que motivaron la renuncia
de su principal vocera la periodista Ninoska Pérez Castellón, eran
los planes de la Organización de cerrar las trasmisiones via Onda
Corta dirigidas a el pueblo de Cuba. Según la información brindada
por el canal 23 de Univisión cinco trabajadores fueron despedidos.
Cordiales 73's (Oscar, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Voz de la Fundación is kaput on SW, despite listing in new WRMI
schedule, see under USA; but below says it may come back (gh, DXLD)
ESTIMADO GLENN: Hoy a las 0000 UT por los 7315 kHz via WHRI escuché
el último programa de la "Voz de la Fundación. En el minuto 0:47 de
su segunda hora de emisión uno de los conductores, Omar López
Montenegro expresó: "la Voz de la Fundación va a suspender sus
trasmisiones, con carácter temporal provisional, pero no tenemos una
fecha exacta para regresar.`` Destacó que la situación económica en
los EE.UU. y que ellos ``no están substraídos a la realidad de lo que
está pasando". Otra persona destacó "que en honor a la verdad, más
que despedirse del aire era un cambio de antena y que en otro momento
estarían de nuevo ofreciendo informaciones". Omar López expresó que
eso no significa el cierre de La Voz de la Fundación y que dentro de
un tiempo estarían de nuevo en contacto con el pueblo de Cuba por
otras vías. Entonces, podemos suponer que cambiarán las plantas de
emisión WRMI y WHRI. Esperemos! Cordiales 73's (Oscar, UT Sept 22,
FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. About your comment: 'The AM list concludes
with this interesting X-band entry, probably not on air yet, as never
reported by DXers and does not include phone number, callsign: 137
Circuito Telesonido, S.A. 1620 San Francisco de Macorís'
This station was in fact testing last winter and some listeners in
Scandinavia, including me, were lucky to catch the broadcasts. I got
an eMail-QSL from the station in April 2001 and I quote here some of
the information presented by the station representative Leónidas Fco.
Henríquez de Jesús (a ham operator with the call HI3LFH):
' ...Sr. Pentti, le diré que Radio TAINA ES A.M. 1620 KCLOS Y F.M.
104.3 MHZ. Su historia es bastante larga aunque solo tenemos 8 años
en el aire. En los inicios tuvimos en A.M. en los 1030 kclos. y luego
nos cambiaron a F.M. Hace aproximadamente 3 años nuevamente se nos
asignó la frecuencia de 1620 Kclos. A.M.; con el funcionamiento de
estas dos frecuencias se pone en nuestro anhelo la satisfacción de un
sueño de cuando era niño y lo que queremos desarrollar por la razón
que soy un enamorado de la radio y las telecomunicaciones en general
... le debo decir que en estos momentos estamos re-instalando las
torres por lo que estamos fuera del aire; ya le informaremos cuando
entremos nuevamente' '...
Llevé su reporte al Ingeniero José Andres Ureña, quien construyó el
equipo con el que transmitimos. Estuvo muy satisfecho; este equipo es
armado por el Sr. por un plano original de la GATES U.S.A., todo a
válvulas con finales 833-A; en la actualidad trabaja en baja potencia
con unos 250 vatios, una torre de 130 pies de altura, coaxial 7/8.
Usted escuchó la identificación de TAINA F.M., porque están
simultánea; el nombre de los 1620 Kclos. A.M. es RADIO PLANETA. Muy
pronto estaremos separados con una programación diferente,
transmitiremos con mayor potencia y se lo informaremos de
inmediato...'
73 de (Pentti Lintujärvi, Helsinki, Finland Webmaster of 1000 Lakes
DX Page at http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Park/3232/dx.htm and
dxlinks.com at http://www.dxlinks.com/ DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hmm, seems that item did not make it into DXLD of the era. Please
tell us directly of such X-band catches in future (gh)
** EGYPT. 9990, Radio Cairo; 2137-2203+, 18-Sep; News, mainly on WTC
attack to 2140 then more WTC commentary. Arab music 2147-55 then
"Sports Roundup" which continued past 2200. All commentary by woman
in English. Very muted/tough copy. SIO=433. LSB takes out most of
ute? QRM & helps copy (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE via DXLD)
** EGYPT. 0215 UT Sept 20: [Audio was a bit muffled and newsreader's
voice was occasionally unintelligible.]
Radio Cairo led its newscast with a report that Egyptian President
Mubarak and Canadian PM Chrétian exchanged views when the latter
placed a telephone call to him. Palestinian officials visited Mubarak
to update him on the unilateral cease-fire ordered by Arafat
yesterday. A Palestinian group claimed responsibility for attack on
Israeli settlers. Bush, while meeting with Indonesian president,
calls on Taliban to turn over bin-Laden. Taliban says it wants talks
with U.S., but U.S. says it's time for actions, not talk. Pakistani
President offers his country a justification for his decision to
assist the U.S. Gulf Cooperation Council representatives in talks
with US Secretary of State Powell and the eight member nations of the
Council issue statement of support for U.S. efforts to build
coalition against terrorism. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and
French President Chirac confer.
Comment was an explanation of Mubarak's position that the effort to
combat terrorism has to involve the views of the entire international
community. He suggests an international conference held under the
auspices of the United Nations. In order to be a success, an effort
against international terrorism must be shared by the whole world. An
important consideration has to be the terrorism experienced by
Palestinians at the hand of "Zionist extremists". In this regard, the
U.S should adopt a more even-handed position. Monitored on 9475 kHz.
(John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
** ESTONIA [?]. R Novaya Zhizn' all evening today on MW 1035. Good
signal and low modulation points to a former Eesti R tx. Mostly soft
vocals and jingles, also noted some spoken word in Russian (Olle Alm,
Sweden, Sep 15...)
MW 1035, Estonian transmitter, but Russian program. Last nite nonstop
mx till after midnight UT. No announcements at full hour. Music style
Russian and International. Like a local (Bengt Ericson, Sweden, Sep
16...)
I also tuned this last Fri at 1757 on 1035. Continuous Christian
pops, a jingle ID by woman chorus at the TOH, but it didn't opened
for me. Then Christian talk features in Russian. This is certainly
coming from the South, checked with my rotatable loop, Tallinn is
also my guess. Any further info? It's on the air also now at 1415,
but has breaks. Still adjusting and testing? (Jarmo Patala, Finland,
hcdx Sep 14...)
The tx is not so low-powered. It is heard very well in southern
Sweden and I guess it is the old Estonian tx on 1035. During
nighttime it is a powerhouse here (Bengt Ericson, Sweden, hcdx Sep
17...)
Sep 17 1035 kHz +0217-0232+ (but they were on air at 0100-0200 too)
"CMA studio" religious program in Russian, songs, 0231 ID as
"Russkoye Khristianskoye Radio" - it seems Family R tests via one low
power Estonian tx... (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, hcdx Sep 17...)
I noted it again yesterday evening at 1700-2000 (only empty carrier
till 1800), in Russian only. This is Moscow's Radio Novaya Zhizn'
(=Radio New Life) - apparently it is a KNLS partner station. The
announced its Moscow address, but I could not make notes (I think we
can use this address for our reports). (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia,
Sep 20...)
Just had some phone talks with some offices in Moscow: Radiostantsiya
Novaya Zhizn' (=New Life Radio/NLR) is a 24 hour satellite program
from Moscow. See http://www.christianradiorussia.org/index2.html
in English with addresses, etc. By the way, they did not want to
inform me who is their broadcaster in Estonia...
If you heard on 1035 kHz an ID as "Russkoye Khristianskoye Radio" -
this stn from Moscow too (see their http://www.rcr.ru or
http://www.rcr.org.ru in Russian only - e-mail: radio@rcr.org.ru You
can hear their programs on 1035 kHz during NLR transmissions, via R
Mayak (Sun 0240-0250 on 198, 549, etc.) or via R Rossii (Tue 1713-
1723 on 261, 873, 5965, etc.).
Their postal address is: 125047, Moscow, P. O. Box 141. I just
informed them about their relays on 1035 kHz (they did not know about
these relays!), DXers, RRs, etc. Let's hope they will be able to
verify our RRs correctly... (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, Sep 20; all
BC-DX via DXLD) Hmmm, should be ALASKA [non] ? (gh)
Dear colleagues, I've just received the detailed information from my
colleagues -collaborators from HCJB about the Christian radiostation,
that works in Tartu on the frequency 1035 kHz - Tartu Family
Radio\Tartu Pereraadio. This is the project of local Tartu Christian
group, which was started two years ago by the world famous HCJB
collaborator David Kily and fully supported , financially and
technically, by HCJB-World Radio. At present, for 21 hours Pereraadio
relays the programmes of radio "Novaya Zhizn`" in Russian (from
Magadan), whose studio just now is located in Moscow. The signal of
the radio "Novaya Zhizn`" (formerly called "Christian Satellite
Radiogroup"- also a project of HCJB-World Radio) is transmitted from
Moscow studio via sputnik LMI-1 on 12.606 GHz, the speed 2000,
vertical polarization, FEC 3/4. There are the reports about the
stable(!!!) reception of Tartu Family Radio/Tartu Pereraadio on the
frequency 1035 AM in Sankt-Petersburg, even in the day time! Power of
transmitter 50 kW. It is interesting to note that by now radio
"Novaya Zhizn`" has a licence for broadcasting on FM band in Russia
only on the territory of Magadan (Andrey Nekrasov, Moscow / DX_BISTRO
via Anatoly Klepov, Russian DX League, Bulletin "RUS-DX", Moscow,
Russia. http://rusdx.narod.ru via Mike Barraclough, DXLD)
** ETHIOPIA [non]. ``R. Tigre, in Ethiopian`` is the way WWCR still
introduces and still carries V. of Tigrayans in North America,
Thursday 2100 on 15685 Sept 20 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** FRANCE [non]. WRN has changed the English-language broadcast it
retransmits at 11 am Eastern time. It now relays the 0700 UT
broadcast to Africa, instead of the previous 1200 UT broadcast --
meaning that the transmission is eight hours old when it is relayed
on WRN instead of the previous three-hour delay. No announcement or
explanation for the change has been heard on WRN or RFI. It is
frustrating to hear such an old broadcast on WRN when RFI's already
offered updated English-language broadcasts at 1200 and 1400 UT (Mike
Cooper, GA, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** FRANCE. RFI boosts programmes in Persian | Text of report by
French news agency AFP
Paris, 21 September: Radio France Internationale (RFI) has decided to
step up its programmes in Persian targeted at Afghanistan, Iran,
Tajikistan and the whole of the Central Asia region, to provide
"world coverage" of events linked to the terrorist attacks in the
United States. For two days now the radio has thus been broadcasting
an extra half-hour of programmes in Persian for all the communities
in this zone, most of whom understand this language, RFI specified in
a statement today, Friday. RFI has been broadcasting programme in
Persian since March 1991, comprising a news bulletin, a topic of the
day and a press review. In addition to this first part, there is a
feature section, going into an aspect of the current news in depth,
and reports following economic, cultural and social news. Source: AFP
news agency, Paris, in French 1022 gmt (via BBCM via DXLD)
?? Details? Would it be too much to ask AFP for the times and
frequencies involved?? (gh, DXLD)
** GERMANY. If I heard it right, DW announced on Sep 20 that it is
extending its Dari, Urdu, and Pastho broadcasts by 1/2 hour each
(Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** GHANA. 3366, R Ghana, 2335 19 Sept, An unusually strong African
opening this evening allowed me to log the following spurs from R
Ghana's 90m fundamental, 3366. These spurs are all at intervals of
80.3 kc, from the fundamental. 3125.1, 3205.4, 3285.7 (3366) 3446.3,
3526.6, and 3606.9. It not often that these spurs are audible here
(David Hodgson, TN, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD)
** HAITI. State TV criticized for airing views supporting US terror
attacks | Text of report from the "0730 Appointment" newscast,
broadcast by Haitian Signal FM radio on 19 September
... [Paul] We are surprised to hear about the position of the state-
owned media, Television Nationale d'Haïti [Haitian National
Television - TNH], which hailed what happened in the United States.
This is a disgrace for the country, because it is the state-owned
television. We want the United States to understand that those who
spoke on TNH spoke on their own behalf and on behalf of the [alleged]
chief terrorist who is leading them in the country and that they did
not speak on behalf of the Haitian people or any responsible citizen
in Haiti. [applause] [End of recording] Source: Signal FM Radio,
Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 19 Sep 01 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** ICELAND. It's not a crossed d though that may be a description by
people fallen from the Viking way. It is: HTML (usually) name
character, [May not display correctly] Ð Eth single guillemet
open P ð eth single guillemet close p (Daniel Say, BC, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
DXLD is becoming very international, language wise. Not only do we
need to read French, German, Portuguese and Spanish - but now also
Icelandic I see! I look forward to hearing you read those programme
details on air! I already have Ð þ and Þ capability, but had little
opportunity to use them. Keep up the good work. Best 73's (Noel
Green, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 5010.0, AIR Thiruvananthapuram 0020 s/on Sept 16 with
regular interval signal and "Vande Mataram", short announcement and
right into talk, except - the language didn`t sound like Hindi at
all, not Tamil either, possibly Sindhi or Dogri but not sure... at
0035 into English news bulletin until 0040.
Later Sept 20: Just a bit of info concerning AIR Thiruvanathapuram on
5010.0 - in my last log of them I mentioned the language definitely
not sounding like Hindi. I`ve been in contact with several folks in
India since, one of them in Kerala state where AIR Thiruvanathapuram
is located. They all informed me that the language used is indeed not
Hindi, but Malayalam which is widely spoken in Kerala. On top of
that they checked and let me know that AIR Thiruvanathapuram is on
only with the 0020-0215 broadcast. They`re not on-air on 1230 any
more (as mentioned in several lists) and haven`t been for a long time
(Thomas Roth, Germany, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** INDONESIA. RRI Jakarta has recently made some more changes to its
domestic services on SW. The relays of Programa 5 on 9680 during
local morning and late afternoon and early evening are no longer
heard.
Instead, Programa 3 is now heard with extended hours on 11760 ( \\
15125 and nominal 1332 which has been drifting 1332-1334v recently),
probably from the same tx that previously carried Programa 4 on 9680
and switched to carry Programa 3 on 11760 at 0200-0900. I don't know
the full schedule for 11760, but it seems to be on continuously from
before 0055 to past 1500. I can't trace 15125 after around 1400.
4777v appears to operating with irregular hours. It's rather
difficult to hear at this location with AIR Imphal much stronger on
4775, but as far as I can tell it's carrying RRI Programa 4, \\ 999
kHz (Alan Davies, Malaysia, Sep 18, BC-DX via DXLD)
** INDONESIA. Reactivation of RRI Merauke. RRI Merauke is presumably
the one heard on 3905 with RRI nx at 1203 on 9/17. On 9/19 they were
mixing w/R. New Ireland at 1120, both fair. Not heard in a while (J.
Lineback, KS, DXplorer Sep 19 via BC-DX via DXLD)
** IRAN. 0035 UT Sept 20: VOIRI began its newscast today with
Ayatollah Khamenei's admonition to Iranians to pay more attention to
religion. Iranian President Khatami called on British PM to dialogue
with other civilizations on measures to defeat terrorism. He said
hasty decisions will not be successful. International leaders are
increasingly opposing US plans to attack Afghanistan and Islamic
nations. Osama bin Laden again denies involvement in US attacks and
says that the US will get a "crushing response" if it attacks
Afghanistan. 35 Pakistani Islamic groups will call for a fatwa on the
US to eject it from its country if it attacks. Indonesian Islamic
leader opposes any US attack on Muslim peoples. Syria says MOSSAD had
a hand in recent US attacks. Palestine has instituted a unilateral
cease fire.
The first commentary said that Europe's closest allies are becoming
increasingly uncomfortable with the U.S.'s plans for combatting
terrorism. These will be attacks on Islamic countries in the guise of
fighting terrorism. Public opinion in US for an attack has subsided.
Khatami told Blair that patience is an indispensable ingredient in
the fight against terrorism. Since no nation is immune to
international terrorism, unilateral action must be avoided. The UN is
the proper forum for this international campaign.
The second commentary was mostly an analysis stressing Russia's
position on international terrorism and U.S. policy regarding its
definition of international terrorism vis-à-vis Russia's. It also
made reference to Russia's campaign in Chechnya in the context of
international terrorism. (--John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via
DXLD)
0036 UT Sept 21: VOIRI started its newscast tonight with a report on
a government statement that said that Iran never will agree to the
use of its air space for a US attack on Afghanistan. Iran echoes
previous concerns about an attack on Afghanistan saying it would be a
"human catastrophe". Iran's foreign minister, in a meeting with his
Palestianian counterpart, criticized Israel for trying to take
advantage of the situation created by the attack on the WTC and
Pentagon. Afghanistan's religious leaders asked bin Laden to leave
the country and declared a jihad if U.S. attacks. The leaders urged
the U.S. not to attack. Pakistani President Musharraf says it is his
country's best interests to support efforts against terrorism. Moscow
wants certain questions answered before it would allow its airspace
in Central Asia to be used by the U.S. if the U.S. asks. The
terrorist attacks on the U.S. could have been predicted according to
interviews with former American officials (Gingrich among those
named) by the Iranian news agency. Rumsfeld has ordered over 100 war
planes to be moved to the Persian Gulf region, along with a third
aircraft carrier. Arab League leader makes distinction between the
coalition formed for the Persian Gulf War and the current coalition
against terrorism. Fighting in Chechnya reported (mentioned "US
helicopter gunships" but obviously meant Russia's).
The first commentary after the news dealt with a telephone
conversation between the Iranian foreign minister and his Pakistani
counterpart about the situation in the region in the wake of the
terrorist attack on NYC and DC. The Iranian counseled caution. Iran
has proposed to UNHCR that the latter set up relief stations within
Afghanistan now. Both Iran and Pakistan have closed their borders
with Afghanistan, but relief efforts by the two countries go on. The
destitute Afghan people are the ones who would have to pay for the
hasty actions of those who would not have taken the time to carefully
consider the situation. A "human catastrophe" would result.
The second commentary said that Pakistani public opinion is split
over President Musharraf's decision to assist the US in its efforts
to battle terrorism. The commentary explains Musharraf's
justification for his decision which it said Musharraf described as a
difficult decision, but one that had to be made.
[The tone of tonight's newscast was considerably more sober and
businesslike than those of the previous two nights. The consistent
thread running through Iran's take on the situation is that terrorism
is contrary to Islam, Iran strongly condemns the attack on the WTC
and Pentagon, Iran counsels caution in the current situation and says
that since international terrorism is a threat to all states, the
world needs to devise a solution if that solution is be effective.
Iran does not want a U.S. military attack on Afghanistan.] Monitored
on 9835 kHz. [Personal comments and observations in brackets.]
(--John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
** IRAN. Glenn, Was monitoring Radio Budapest September 20 at 0100 UT
on 9560. Until 0126 UT SINPO 55444. However, at 0126 UT the Radio
Budapest signal became fluttery and VOIRI came on 9560 causing Radio
Budapest SINPO to change to 43443. Fortunately the Radio Budapest
English broadcast ended at 0128 UT. At 0130 UT I heard a positive
"Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran" by OM in English. I checked
again on September 22, 2001 at 0126 UT, but did not hear VOIRI on
9560. 73, (-.. . Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
0036 UT Sept 22: [VOIRI newscasts vary in length and tonight's was
especially long. Rather than recount each item this time, I will try
and relay the general tone of the newscast.]
[The newscast led with a repeat of two items from earlier in the week
that the station obviously felt needed to be re-emphasized. The first
dealt with the comprehensive statement by Ayatollah Khamenei that
coupled a condemnation of terrorism and the slaughter of innocent
people in all circumstances with a warning against an attack against
Afghanistan as an act that will work against the eradication of
terrorism. The second dealt with an account of a phone call between
President Khatami and Prime Minister Blair of the UK, in which
Khatami told Blair that an attack on Afghanistan would be
counterproductive.]
[The Taliban rejected the U.S. ultimatum while expressing deep regret
over the terrorist attack on the U.S. In a decidedly mixed message,
it also said it would attack the strategic centers of any Islamic
country that assists the U.S. in any attack on Afghanistan.]
[A second story that has been heard in most Iranian newscasts this
week is the fact that Muslims around the world have been assaulted in
the wake of the terrorist attack. This has led to officially
expressed Iranian apprehension that followers of Islam will somehow
be blamed for this and all terrorist acts and made scapegoats by the
rest of the world. In this regard, a commentary tonight sought to
make the argument that the international media is biased against
Muslims and in favor of Israel.]
Monitored on 9835 kHz. [Personal comments/observations in brackets.]
(--John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
** IRAN [non]. Voice of Mojahed: Habe heute Voice of Mojahed bis
Sendeschluss um 1732 auf 13440 kHz gehört. Kurz davor kam die ID in
Farsi und es wurden eine Menge Frequenzen angesagt. Auffällig das
heute kein Störsender da war. Vorgestern war er noch auf dieser QRG
anwesend sogar noch ein paar Minuten nach Sendeschluss von VoMojahed.
Auf o.g. Frequenz soll auch in USB die Utility Station ALE-Rumänien
senden (E. Bergmann, Germany, Sep 14, A-DX via Clandestine Radio
Watch via DXLD)
** IRAN/IRAQ [non]. Radio Azadi: Don´t know if this is a new
development, but RFE/RL Persian service has its own web site at
http://www.radioazadi.org making me wonder if the service is called
Radio Azadi now? RFE/RL Radio Free Iraq still at
http://www.rferl.org/bd/schedules/iq-schedule.html
(Harald Kuhl, Germany, Sep 18, DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD)
** ISRAEL. AFAIK the 0400 and 1600 broadcasts are on Reshet Aleph
(the first domestic network) whereas the 1900 broadcast is on Reshet
Heh (fifth network--external).
On the internet, you can get the fifteen minute 0400 broadcast as a
real audio file from ftp://audio.wrn.org/kol_eng12.ra or listen on
demand at pnm://audio.wrn.org/server1/kol_eng12.ra after about 0420
GMT.
Somewhat later you can use ftp://usa.wrn.org/kol_eng12.ra or
pnm://usa.wrn.org/kol_eng12.ra (no "server1").
Unfortunately, the permissions on ftp://usa.wrn.org are set so that
plebes cannot read the directory so that it is hard to tell in
advance if a file is from today or yesterday.
You can get the half hour 1600 broadcast at about 1642 from
ftp://audio.wrn.org/kol_eng2.ra and similarly to the above.
Sometimes at the end of the file you can hear a Hebrew ID for "Reshet
Aleph".
The twenty-five minute broadcast at 1900 may be heard at the Reshet
Heh live stream at http://israelradio.org (Joel Rubin, Sept 21,
swprograms via DXLD)
** ISRAEL. 0400 UT Sept 20: Newscast led with a report that Peres and
Arafat are to meet today to discuss formal cease fire and re-
establish diplomatic contacts. There has been relative drop in
violent incidents after Arafat's order. Two Palestinian groups said
they would not be bound by Arafat's order. Powell congratulates two
sides on the cease-fire and urged meeting at earliest opportunity.
Arafat and Mubarak met in Gaza to discuss cease-fire. US orders over
100 military aircraft into the Persian Gulf, joining over 200 already
in the area. U.S. has rejected offers of talks from the Taliban. U.S.
naval task force has left Virginia on its way to the Indian Ocean
joining two ships already there. Bush again warns Afghanistan to turn
over bin-Laden and says that he understands that different countries
will take up the global fight against terrorism in different ways.
Janes says that Israeli military intelligence suspects that Iraq
sponsored the attack in the US last week. Prime actors were Hezbollah
and bin-Laden's Al Queeda (sp?). Janes says that Israeli suspicions
were cemented by reports of recent meetings between principals of the
two groups including a known close bin-Laden associate.
Monitored on 9435 kHz. (--John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
0400 UT Sept 21: Kol Israel's newscast opened with a report that
security officials told the cabinet that Palestinians are still not
fully observing the cease fire. The cabinet then decided not to
schedule a meeting with Arafat at this time. Cabinet sources said
there will not be a meeting this week. A government spokesman said
that Sharon (Israeli prime minister) has a dilemma--not to interfere
with Washington's efforts to build a coalition against terrorism
while making sure that the world understands what and who Arafat
really is. Peres told a Labour Party gathering that Israel cannot
refuse the request of the U.S. that the government meet with Arafat.
Arafat said he has launched an investigation into an attack last
night and two Palestinians have been detained. Series of reports
on violence throughout Isreal and the Palestinian territories. Bush
addresses Congress to prepare public for war, details of ultimatum to
Afghanistan reported, evidence points to bin-Laden. Speech described
as "dramatic". Bush said that the war on terrorism is not a fight
against the Islamic faith (segment of speech played). Greenspan says
U.S. economy will suffer problems in the short term, but long term
outlook is good. Share prices down in morning trading in Tokyo.
Tourism officials in Israel ask the U.S. State Dept. to rescind its
travel advisory on Israel. The attack on NYC shows that U.S. should
stop issuing such advisories and rethink the criteria used to make
them.
In the press review, these reports were included: Israel will be
alerted before U.S. launches any action against Afghanistan. Israel
will permit use of its air space by U.S. forces. Peres-Arafat meeting
will probably take place tomorrow night.
Monitored on 9435 kHz (John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
** JAPAN. According to the Press Release, the second VLF standard
frequency station JJY will start regular 24 hr transmission from
around 0230 UT on Oct 1. The new station is located at Mt. Hagane,
Saga prefecture, Kyushu, and covers western Japan. The signal format
is the same as the first one on 40 kHz. Freq: 60 kHz Power: 50 kW
Antenna: 200 meters umbrella type. Type of Signal: A1B.
The first VLF stn has already been in operation on 40 kHz from Mt.
Ootakadoya, Fukushima prefecture, with 50 kW, to cover eastern Japan.
As for 60 kHz stn, QSLs are not issued for the reception of their
test signal before Sept. But nothing is said about the QSL policy
after Oct 1st.
Address: Japan Standard Time Group, Communications Research
Laboratory, Nukuikitamachi 4-2-1, Koganei City, Tokyo, 184-8795
Japan. E-mail: horonet@crl.go.jp FAX: +81 42 327 6686. URL:
http://jjy.crl.go.jp (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Sep 20, BC-DX via
DXLD)
** KURDISTAN. 7090, V of Iraqi Kurdistan, 0433, man in presumed
Sorani Kurdish speaking about Muslim Kurds. Signal S5 with QRM from
hams at lower side band. Upper band was clear (Zacharias Liangas,
Greece, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also AFGHANISTAN
** KUWAIT. Kuwait authorizes 9K2USA call sign: Bob Furzer,
K4CY/9K2ZZ, reports that the Kuwait Amateur Radio Society --- in
conjunction with the Kuwait Ministry of Communications --- has
authorized the use of the call sign 9K2USA by all radio amateurs in
Kuwait. The authorization is being characterized as "a small token of
the sympathy and support for the people of the United States from the
citizens of Kuwait, and as an expression of deep condolence"
following the deadly terrorist attacks on New York City and
Washington, DC. The authorization will continue through the end of
September. The Kuwait Amateur Radio Society will handle QSL chores
using a common database, and all QSLs will be via 9K2RA, e-mail
9K2RA@kars.org. Visit the KARS Web site http://www.kars.org (--Bob
Furzer, K4CY/9K2ZZ ARRL Letter Sept 21 via John Norfolk, DXLD)
Nice, but would that not be rather confusing, with all stations using
the same callsign? (gh, DXLD)
** LIBERIA. 5100, R Liberia, 2310 Sept 19, news in English by YL.
Many references to Liberia and Monrovia. Current affairs PX began
around 2322. Strong signal, but ute QRM on LSB (David Hodgson, TN,
Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** MEXICO. Para cerrar con broche de oro los festejos del XXXII
aniversario de RMI se dará un concierto con música Mexicana el día 28
de septiembre, a las 19:00 hrs, tiempo de México (01:00 hrs UTC) y
desde luego para quieres lo reporten se tendrá una QSL conmemorativa.
Saludos amigos (Lucha, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Try 11770 and/or 9705. If local time is 1900, UT would be 0000 UT Sat
Sept 29, as DF is supposed to still be on DST for another day. This
is XERMX`s big (live?) anniversary Mexican music concert. Sure wish
they webcast -– or do they? (gh, DXLD)
** MIDDLE EAST [and non].
I found and share with you web address for several press agencies
AFP http://www.afp.fr
ITN http://www.itn.co.uk
INA - Iraq http://www.uruklink.net/iraqnews/eindex.htm
TASS http://www.itrar-tass.com
Reuters http://www.reuters.com
VNA Vietnam http://www.vnagency.com.vn/Public/Newse.asp
Afghan press http://www.afghan-web.com/aop/
Israel news agency http://www.israelpr.com/distortednews.html
Czech News http://www.chechnyanews.com/
Iraq daily http://www.iraqdaily.com/
Yemen NA http://www.sabanews.gov.ye/
SUNA Khartoum http://207.230.130.2/pg000003.htm
English page http://www.sudanet.net/suna.htm
Palestine http://www.wafa.pna.net/
MENA Egypt http://www.mena.org.eg
KUNA Kuwait http://www.kuna.net.kw
Assyrian http://www.aina.org/
Gulf News Bahrein http://www.moi.gov.bh/gnanews/gnaenglish/gna-e.html
Arab media http://www.al-bab.com/media/sources.htm
(Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MOROCCO see on IBB website
http://www.ibb.gov/pubaff/morocco.html (wb df5sx Sep 15...)
I was interested in the page about Tangier also, but I think it could
give more information than it actually does. For instance, what
happened to the original station and some details about transmitters
etc. (Noel R. Green, UK, Sep 18, BC-DX via DXLD)
** MOZAMBIQUE. From: Gordon Adam Gmadam@btinternet.com
Subject: Radio producer wanted --- Media Support Partnership
Radio Production Adviser needed (Mozambique, 12 month contract)
Mozambique is one of the countries most at risk from HIV/AIDS. In
some areas, 25% of the population are HIV positive. Radio has been
identified as the key to raising awareness of the disease. Media
Support Partnership (MSP), a Scottish based NGO specialising in
development communications, in partnership with the Mozambican
National AIDS Council (CNCS), is embarking on a project to work with
radio broadcasters in five provinces to produce lively and locally
appropriate HIV/AIDS radio programming in vernacular languages. The
aim is to engage listeners in HIV related issues such as high-risk
lifestyles and stigma towards people living with AIDS. At the same
time, MSP will develop a national communications strategy on HIV/AIDS
for Mozambique. Initially, the project is for 12 months, but the
expectation is that it will be extended for a further three years.
Working to the Maputo based Project Manager, Media Support
Partnership is looking for a Radio Production Adviser, to be based in
Chimoio (close to the Zimbabwe border in central Mozambique) and
primarily responsible for working with local broadcasters to develop
HIV radio programming in Sofala, Manica and Teté provinces. This is a
challenging post with great potential. The minimum requirement is
radio production and training experience along with initiative,
energy and enthusiasm. Flexibility, exceptional interpersonal skills
and experience of working in a developing country are also essential.
A good knowledge of Portuguese will be a strong advantage, as would
an understanding of public health issues. Fluency in English is a
requirement.
The post will be for twelve months. A salary of US$2000 – US$2500 per
month will be paid depending on experience, along with a local living
allowance and use of a vehicle. Travel to and from Mozambique will be
covered along with health insurance. Starting date: early November
2001. Please send CVs to Julia Russell at julia@mediasupport.org.
Closing date: 28th September 2001.
Further information from Ib Schou: ibschou@pc.dk or call +45 27287809
(cellphone)
Gordon Adam, Managing Director, Media Support
Tel: +44 1463 731357, Fax: +44 1463 731841
(caj-list Sept 18 via Ricky Leong, QC, DXLD)
** NEPAL. 5005.0, Radio Nepal, Sept 15 0015 s/on with "Yo Radio Nepal
Ho" and right into news on peace rally in Kathmandu starting at
Basantapur, mention of large numbers of people lining up at the U.S.
embassy to make their condolences for the victims of Tuesday`s
terrorist attack, also mention of attempts at reopening the road from
Thankot into the Kathmandu valley after heavy landslides, very weak
today and heavily QRMed by ute RTTY station, best on LSB (Thomas
Roth, Germany, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS. Geronimo on air this weekend. Will be aired around
0530 till 0700 UT or just an hour later. Also could be that you are
hearing the same program on 15070 at Saturday night/Sunday morning
(2230/0630) // into the 48 mb. So the same program could be running 3
times. Two on 48 and one time into the 15070 kHz, all in AM.
Greetings, Operator of Dutch Relay Service
http://www.geocities.com/dutch_relay_service/ Happy Catching and
listening (Sept 20, shortwaves yahoogroup via DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, "It's been a terrible 10 days".
So wrote a friend and colleague at another international station, and
I couldn't have out it better. I don't recall another week in my life
when I have been so emotionally affected by events thousands of miles
away. Let me say right away that the content of the Media Network
Webzine has been, and will be for some time to come, affected by what
has happened. Things that seemed important two weeks ago have paled
into insignificance after the awful events in the United States. I
would also like to draw your attention to a special edition of David
Swatling's Aural Tapestry on Sunday 23 September. In "Tragedy in Five
Movements" David combines poetry, music and first-person accounts of
the awful events of 11 September. I've seen some of the accounts, and
I know you will be as moved as we were (Andy Sennitt, Media Network
Sept 21 via John Norfolk, DXLD)
May I draw your attention to the special edition of Aural Tapestry on
Sunday. David Swatling combines poetry, music and first-person
accounts of Sept 11th in "Tragedy in Five Movements". For those of
you who don't know David, he's a New Yorker and this programme was
probably the hardest one he's ever had to make (Andy Sennitt,
swprograms Sept 22 via DXLD)
Aural Tapestry (first broadcast) Sunday, Sept 23:
DAVID SWATLING weaves the threads of art, culture and history and in
the process, casts a spell to create his Aural Tapestry!
"Tragedy in Five Movements"
In the mid-19th century, the poet Walt Whitman lived in New York City
when the American Civil War began with the bombing of Fort Sumter. He
reflected his love of the city and his experiences of war in some of
his most moving poetry.In the mid-20th century, the composer Dmitri
Shostakovich lived in Leningrad when the city was under siege and
being bombarded during the Second World War. His Eighth Symphony,
written in 1943, contemplates the horrors of war and yearns, not for
victory, but for peace. At the beginning of the 21st century, a new
age of terror has dawned. Witnesses to the disasters in New York and
Washington e-mail their experiences and words of comfort or hope to
friends near and far. David Swatling combines poetry, music and
first-person accounts in "Tragedy in Five Movements" on Aural
Tapestry.
Broadcast times (UTC): 10.30 (Pacific/Asia/Far East), 11.00
(Europe/East Coast USA), 15.30 (Asia/West Coast USA), 19.00 (Africa),
21.30 (Europe), 00.30 (North America) (RN Previews via DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS. In the event of the commencement of military action
by the US-led coalition, Radio Netherlands will add additional
frequencies for transmissions in Dutch. These transmissions will
commence as soon as possible after the start of the military action.
Details as follows:
0330-0425 UT Flevo 9755 kHz 123 degrees to the Middle East
0330-0425 UT Flevo 11660 kHz 142 degrees to East Africa
0457-0800 UT Madagascar 21485 kHz 350 degrees to Middle East
0457-0800 UT Madagascar 21470 kHz 045 degrees to South Asia
2227-2327 UT Flevo 9895 kHz 123 degrees to the Middle East
If necessary, The European transmission on 5955 and 9895 kHz (but not
13700 kHz) will be extended to 1725 instead of 1700.
http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/schedule.html (via Kai Ludwig, DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. Re the DRM transmissions --- I tuned them too
and what a RACKET! Dreadful! The two adjacent channels were blocked
too. The noise sound has altered --- previously it resembled the
noise my electric shaver makes. Now it sounds like Chinese jamming!
If we are to have DRM broadcasting it surely must operate in a sub-
band away from AM broadcasting. Can you imagine what several DRM
transmissions in the 49 mb in winter would be like! (Noel R. Green,
UK, Sep 17, BC-DX via DXLD)
** NICARAGUA. 5770, R. Miskut 0000 Sept 20, full ID in SP w/ call
sign YNPM; then LA music (Steve George, MA, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** NIGER. 5020.5, La Voix du Sahel, 1900-1910 Sept 20, presumed the
one here with drums interval signal, identification in French which I
missed due to a phone call, and news in French, fair signal, clear
channel with occasional strong bursts of interference (Mike
Barraclough, England, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** NIGERIA. It seems 7275 is audible after all, so FRCN at Kaduna is
indeed using this channel! I mean, no ID, but Vernacular & music type
was clearly African. I tried it again this morning, 18 Sept., and
both Kaduna, and Ikorodu on 7255 were heard:
7275 Kaduna at 0714-0746 f/out, Hausa (tent), chantings, few talks,
15231.
7255 Ikorodu at 0745-0845 f/out, En nx, rpts (couldn't copy the name
of the px, but sounded something like BBC's "Outlook"), mx. 25332.
Reception conditions were extreme, and even 7255 was very hard to
receive without the 13 dB Wellbrook amplifier, so one can imagine the
quality of the signal from Kaduna, which made me use the strange
N[oise] R[eduction] of my NRD-545!...
Am listening to VON 7255 as I write (1730 UT), and signal is a lot
better, of course. 7275 is blocked by Spain (Carlos L.R. de Assunção
Gonçalves, Portugal, Sep 18, BC-DX via DXLD)
** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria radio improves facilities, staff
training
The Voice of Nigeria (VON), Nigeria's external broadcasting station,
is rehabilitating its facilities at both the Ikoyi and Ikorodu
stations through upgrading equipment and training staff. The
AllAfrica.com news web site on 20 September carried an article on the
VON's rehabilitation plans, which was attributed to the 28 August
edition of Nigerian weekly magazine Newswatch.
Seven studios at the station in Ikoyi, a suburb town of Lagos located
in the southwest, have been refurbished. The three old studios have
been repaired and broken down parts replaced. The federal government
has also approved the installation of three new digital studios for
the station, in addition to the modern digital studio donated to the
station by the French government as a result of its collaboration
with the Radio France International (RFI), the magazine said.
The modern digital studio makes use of compact disc cassettes and
reel-to-reel tapes. It also uses computers, which makes it easier for
editors to do their work on the screen, the magazine said.
On 29 July, when the management of VON gave journalists a tour of the
facilities at the station, Ayodele Sulaiman, VON's director of
programming, explained that the management thought it unwise to
abandon the old analogue studios. He said that new equipment has been
bought for the long neglected analogue systems, while regular
maintenance is now carried out on them, the magazine said.
The director told Newswatch that some of the studios have been
running for 38 years without appropriate servicing and maintenance by
the past management. VON was carved out of the Federal Radio
Corporation of Nigeria in 1961 by the government of Abubakar Tafawa
Balewa. It became independent in 1965.
At the station in Ikorodu, a town situated on the southwest coast
near Lagos, the management also repaired three broken down
transmitters. Two more transmitters are still waiting to be
installed.
Timothy Gyang, deputy director of engineering, told Newswatch that
when fully installed, the transmitters, with the aid of the repaired
antennae would enable VON transmit to different parts of the world
simultaneously in various languages. Currently, the station
broadcasts in English, French, Hausa, Swahili and Fulfude [sic]. It
also plans to introduce Igbo and Yoruba services, the magazine said.
In the area of information technology, the management has also
installed computers in the newsrooms, and established a computer
centre at the new training centre which it built at Ikorodu. This is
in addition to the computer control room at the transmission hall in
Ikorodu, the magazine reported.
Since the last two years, VON has been able to collaborate with RFI,
Deutsche Welle, Germany, Voice of America (VOA), Radio Sudan, British
Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) and Radio Channel Africa of South Africa. It
also signed a memoranda of understanding with the international radio
stations on staff training and exchange programmes, the magazine
reported.
According to the magazine, the BBC has sponsored Internet design and
operations in London. VOA has trained VON engineers in digital studio
design, operations and maintenance. The French embassy has donated a
computer to the director-general's office.
"Within the same period, VON became the first broadcasting
organization in Africa to be admitted into the Digital Radio Mondiale
[DRM] consortium," Sulaiman said. He explained that the association
would enhance AM audio quality, overcoming interference, fading and
distortion. Taiwo Alimi, VON's director-general, was elected a member
of the steering board at the general assembly in April 2001 in Las
Vegas, the magazine reported.
The director-general said that about 200 staff had been trained in
computer programming and use, while more than 25 others drawn from
engineering, news and programme divisions have received training in
Singapore, Switzerland, USA and Germany. He said that the training
programmes were aided by the Commonwealth Broadcast Association
(CBA), the magazine reported.
VON is also planning to open new offices in the six geopolitical
zones of the country. State governments in Gombe (central-east),
Enugu (southeast) and Rivers States have provided office
accommodations for the VON zonal stations. The first of such offices
was opened in Gombe on 9 August, the magazine said.
Source: Voice of Nigeria external service, Lagos, in English 0000 gmt
21 Sep 01 (via BBCM via DXLD)
VON has quite a promotion department, but we are still waiting for
decent signals on high frequencies from this station! So far there
has been no sign of anything but 7255 (gh, DXLD)
Voice of Nigeria's Preview Edition of "VON Airwaves"
today I found a big envelope from Nigeria in my post. It included the
Preview Edition of Voice of Nigeria's "VON Airwaves" from June 2001,
a letter signed from the editor Tope Idowu, a program schedule valid
from Apr 29 till Dec 29, 2001, some stickers and others.
According to the program schedule the Voice of Nigeria actually uses
three frequencies directed to different parts of Africa "and
overseas":
to West Africa on 7255 kHz:
0500-1000 English
1000-1400 Hausa
1400-1700 French
1700-1900 Fulfulde
1900-2300 English
to North Africa and Overseas (Europe, North America ?) on 15120 kHz:
0500-1000 English
1000-1100 Hausa
1100-1600 French
1600-1900 Arabic
1900-2300 English
to Central, East and South Africa on 11770 kHz:
0500-1000 English
1000-1100 Hausa
1100-1700 French
1700-1900 Ki-swaheli
1900-2300 English
7255 kHz has been heard regularly in the last months during local
evening hours. 11770 and 15120 kHz have to confirmed. In the 70's and
80's I heard them on 15120 kHz in English, French and German with
good to excellent signal. Nothing mentioned of resuming German and
other services as announced in August. The program schedule also
lists 9690 kHz on the cover but to which target area and what
languages are used? The back side states that VON will also be
available via satellite "in a short while".
Correspondence and enquiries should be addressed to
The Editor, VON Airwaves, Broadcasting House, P.M.B. 40003, Falomo,
Lagos, Nigeria
by email to the editor, Mr. Tope Idowu at tidowu@yahoo.com or
via fax +234-1-2691944 or tel. +234-1-269-3075.
Best wishes from Wuppertal vy 55 + 73
(Manfred Reiff, Germany, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAKISTAN. 7100.1v, R Pakistan 0042 IS, Qur'an reading,
announcement by man and back to Qur'an \\ 15485.3; mostly orating in
presumed Urdu and subcontinental vocals when rechecked at various
times to past 0130. Very weak and subject to constant ham CW QRM. Had
been on 7100.3 when first tuned, then gradually drifted down to
7100.1. This frequency isn't listed; wonder if it might be a link
service (Bob Hill, MA, Sep 15/16, BC-DX via DXLD)
17520, 1056-1100, R Pakistan English noted at this time slot Sept 19
and not the listed 1100-1104. Also is \\ with 21460 [sic – listed
21465 -gh] which was about the same or slightly weaker than 17520.
Female announcer with nx only and totally about the future plans of
the US (Robert Montgomery, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** PAKISTAN. 1056 UT Sept 20: [Personal comments/observations are in
brackets.]
R. Pakistan led its news with a series of messages and statements by
prominent Pakistanis expressing strong support for President
Musharraf's decision to support and assist the U.S. campaign against
international terrorism. The various statements stressed the courage
of the President's decision, his devotion to the Pakistani people and
nation and the fact that the decision was taken after consideration
of what was in the nation's best interests. There were also reports
about successful attacks on Russian positions in Chechnya and
Ingushetsia.
[I am not sufficiently informed about Pakistani politics and
prominent figures to know if any of the many statements of support
were forthcoming from any Islamic religious leaders, but I suspect
not. Also, it appears that R. Pakistan has permanently shifted this
3-4 minute newscast back a few minutes from 1100, now starting at
about 1056 UT. Transmission closes down at about 1101, immediately
after the English language news, a few announcements or statements in
presumed Urdu and the national anthem. This was monitored on 21465
today. Also, for the first time today, there did not appear to be any
signal on 17520.] (John Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
I tuned in myself at 1100 to catch the English news but as John notes
seems to have been moved back, 21465 very strong but with closing
anthem and, as John says, nothing on 17520 (Mike Barraclough, UK,
Sept 20, BDXC-UK via DXLD)
** PALAU. 13590, High Adventures Ministry heard here in English Sept
14 at 1230 and later in Vietnamese. I guess this is ex-13820 (Hans
Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** PALESTINE [non]. 9610, Voice of Palestine, Voice of the Palestine
Islamic Revolution, 0328-0352+, Sep 14, noted with a tone on at 0328,
and at 0330 ID in Arabic as "Sawt Falestin, Sawt-i Sawt Falistinia...
al Islamia", at 0331 martial music, then at 0332 talks male announcer
with news, with lot of mentions to Falestinia, Amerikia. At 0343
Arabic blessing then talks. 0345 patriotic music. 0350: Islam
message. 0352 continue the announcer, all in Arabic. SINPO: 45444.
All in // to 11870 with a strong signal but a bad audio (G. I.
Barrera, Argentina, Sept 14, for CRW via DXLD) This one via Iran
** PARAGUAY. Amigos da lista, para aqueles que se interessam em
monitorar emissoras paraguaias de ondas médias, uma listagem com
endereço e outros dados pode ser encontrada em:
http://www2.paraguaygobierno.gov.py/mainauxiliar3.html
(@tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD)
** PERU. 4825, I received a full data QSL card and a personal letter
in Spanish from Radio La Voz de La Selva, from Iquitos, signed by
Mrs. Julia Jauregui Rengifo (Manager). Report was sent to Calle Abtao
255, Apartado 207, Iquitos - Loreto, Perú, via registered mail.
Replied after just 22 days (Núcio Ribas, Brazil, Cumbre DX Sept 20
via DXLD)
** PHILIPPINES. FEBC has stopped broadcasts in Cantonese. They have
changed their emphasis to Mandarin where there is a stronger response
(Family Bible Hour Newsletter Aug via Johnson Sep 14, Cumbre DX via
DXLD)
** PHILIPPINES. Some time ago I received VOA on strange 12150. And
now I have a QSL confirming that fact! I`m sure it was a
combinational product of 11930 Lao and 12040 Chinese (Vladimir
Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, Signal Sept 15 via DXLD)
** RUSSIA. The Voice of Russia is running an Internet-based poll
titled THE AMERICAN TRAGEDY - WHAT DO YOU THINK? at:
http://www.vor.ru/Amerter/Anketater_eng.html (Sergei Sosedkin, IL,
Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. Radio to broadcast 24 hours from 23 September | Text
of report in English by Saudi news agency SPA web site
Riyadh, 19 September: The radio station of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia completed its programming and technical preparations to make
transmission of its General Programme continue around the clock. This
was conveyed to Saudi Press Agency by Minister of Information Dr
Fu'ad Bin-Abd-al-Salam al-Farisi who said this came in line with
directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin-
Abd-al-Aziz, the Crown Prince and Second Deputy Premier to various
organs of the Saudi mass media to carry out their noble duties and to
keep pace with changing times. The minister said this also came to
coincide with the anniversary of the national day of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia on 23 September 2001. The duration of the transmission
of the General Programme of the Saudi radio was only 18 hours a day.
[According to BBC Monitoring records, Saudi radio's General Programme
is currently on the air from 0300-1500 and from 1700-2300 gmt.
Between 1500 and 1700 gmt the General Programme frequencies carry the
Call of Islam programme.] Source: SPA news agency web site, Riyadh,
in English 1825 gmt 19 Sep 01 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5019.91, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation
1029 Sept 14 political commercial for presidential candidate,
religious program, giving address in Honiara at end, ID "Radio Hapi
Isles, the voice of the nation" @ 1046 (Ralph Brandi, NJ, Cumbre DX
via DXLD) They have been relaying BBC some days, heard during the
1200 and 1300 hours. Other days just open carrier (Hans Johnson, WY,
ibid.)
** SOUTH AFRICA. Subject: Special Event Station: "The Hell"
From: Andrew Roos andrew@exinet.co.za
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.dx, rec.radio.amateur, rec.ham-radio,
alt.ham-radio, alt.ham-radio.hf, alt.ham-radio.morse
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 10:56:47 +0200
South African radio amateurs will be operating a special event
station with the callsign ZS1HELL from "Die Hell" from 16h00 UT on
Friday 21 September until 9h00 UT on Monday 24 September.
Die Hell ("The Hell") is an extremely remote valley in the Swartberg
mountains near Oudtshoorn. For many years it was thought to be
uninhabited until about a hundred years ago when a completely
self-contained and isolated population was discovered living in the
valley. They remained cut off from the rest of the country until a
road was built in 1960, but many areas remain accessible only on foot
or by 4x4.
The special event station will issue a special QSL card to all
contacts. The following frequencies will be used:
CW Phone
160m 1.834 1.834
80m 3.520 3.674
40m 7.020 7.080
20m 14.020 14.180
15m 21.020 21.280
10m 28.020 28.480
Two of the twelve operators are new amateurs so there will also be
opportunities to work the station at slow morse speeds in the region
of 10-15 w.p.m. Hoping to work you from "Hell" Andrew ZS1AN
Please NB that my reply email has been altered to prevent spam. The
correct email address is my callsign at qsl.net.
(via John Norfolk, OCKOK, DXLD)
** SUDAN [non]. I have heard a station on 6985 kHz both in the
morning around 0400 (Sep 17th) and in the evening around 1600 UT (Sep
19th) with similar programming = male talk and "African Horn"-music.
Most probably is it the Voice of Freedom and Renewal, because the
language was Arabic and they ID-et like: "Saw't il..." They often
play a well known poptune as a kind of interval song - according to
my son it's evidently "Axel F". Fair reception and lots of RTTY and
CWQRM. 73 from (Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland in the Baltic
Sea of Sweden, Sept 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Sudanese clandestine station: 6985.0 kHz
I listened to this Sudanese clandestine station several times now
with the following result: s/on time on exactly 6985.0 kHz is around
15-10 minutes before 0330 UT. They are starting with local style
music and because as it seems they are using the same songs each
morning I suspect it is meant as a help for listeners to tune in the
right frequency before the real start of the program. At 0330 the
information program is started with trumpets, followed by some
announcements and spots about Sudan. At 0335 a news bulletin,
followed by more items about Sudan. Their signal here is quite
strong and since they have their offices in Asmara I suspect that
this transmitter might be one of the units formerly used by Voice of
Sudan. If the station on 6985 really is Voice of Freedom &
Renewal (did not manage to decipher their ID because of quite bad
audio) they obviously have a new transmitter, because formerly it
was a very rare catch. But now it is a daily one like former Voice
of Sudan. f/out time here is around 0415, so I missed their
s/off time supposed to be 0430 (Harald Kuhl, Germany, Sep 11, in
DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD)
** TAJIKISTAN. 7245, R. Tajikistan, Sept 17 1645 with news in English
then Tajik music. Signal 44444 or S9+10 (Zacharias Liangas,
Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TIBET [and non]. Re 5950, WWDXC Topnews site, I was all the more
surprised to find the discussion about my CumbreDX log and the issue
of Tibetan there. As to my log on 5950, it also occurred to me that
it was indeed RTI via WYFR that I was hearing. So that was probably
wrong.
As to the language issue: even though there are many more, one can
say that there are three "main dialects" of Tibetan spoken in Tibet.
It's the Lhasa dialect, spoken in the capital and Central Tibet (the
provinces called U and Tsang - that's the part the Chinese call the
"Autonomous Region") and the one most widely understood in the rest
of the country. Then there is the Kham dialect and the Amdo dialect.
These are the eastern and north-eastern parts of the country
respectively (which these days belong to Quinghai, Sezhuan [sic] and
even Yunnan provinces depending on how far east or south-east they
extend). Both dialects differ considerably from the Lhasa dialect.
I'm reasonably fluent in all three; that's why I'm so confident that
I haven't heard Tibetan from Chinese stations for a while. The great
majority of Chinese (in occupied Tibet) don't speak any Tibetan at
all and the speakers that I did occasionally hear on air were
definitely Tibetans, employed by the station. Having taught English
to Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu/Nepal for a number of years, and
still going there regularly, I have quite a lot of contacts there.
Some of them also tell me that they don't hear Tibetan from Lhasa.
I'm not too sure as to what we hear either.
The Chinese have a myriad of languages and dialects. When it comes to
Tibetan, however, the one and only dialect ever used is/was the Lhasa
dialect. AIR does so, the VOA does so, RFA does it and VOT as well -
as did the Chinese in the past. It's unlikely in the extreme that
they should have turned to an obscure dialect that only a small
percentage of the Tibetan population understands.
First; it would rob them of the possibility of censoring what's being
said (because they understand such dialects even less than the Lhasa
one), second; it would be wasted on the majority of listeners anyway
as they wouldn't get much either... Hope this sheds some light ;-)
(Thomas Roth, Germany, DL1CQ, Sept 20, BC-DX via DXLD))
Thanks to Mr Roth for the interesting discussion on the Tibetan
language. I have e-mailed Tibet TBS and hopefully they can shed light
on what are the languages that they are using. As Mr Roth has pointed
out, 5950 is probably not Tibet. Chinese DXer Qiao Xiaoli has posted
my question regarding 5950 on a Chinese SWL forum. It brought a
response that Heilongjiang is also using 5950 and indeed a check with
PWBR would show that Heilongjiang PBS broadcast in Mandarin at 0400
UT. A call was then made for Chinese DXers in northern and western
China to monitor 5950 at 0400. Responses from DXers in Jiangsu and
Gansu brought negative results, so it probably RTI after all. 73
(Richard Lam, Singapore, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TUNISIA. Some harmonics with calcio (soccer):
14450 1610 R. DIFFUSION TUNISIENNE - SFAX A // 630 7225 x 2 35543
24010 1610 R. DIFFUSION TUNISIENNE - SFAX A // 630 12005 x 2 25432
(Roberto Scaglione, BCL Sicilia Club Sept 21 via hard-core-dx via
DXLD)
** U A E. 21605, UAE Radio Dubai Sept 16 1602-1635 English. "Zionism
Unmasked - A History of International Zionism" program with male and
female announcers. Discussed the coexistence of the Muslim and Jewish
people prior to the rise of Zionism. 1617 Slow easy listening music.
1630 "It`s 8:30" by woman followed by news, then weather "from Dubai
FM" (high 106 F, low 80 F). 1634 End of English service announcements
by woman, and signal abruptly disappeared. No brief switch to Arabic
as in my August report. Very good signal on 21605 (SINPO 44444). The
hum is still there, but much less objectionable. 15395 parallel noted
(barely) but not useable (Jim Evans, TN, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
0330 UT Sept 20: This is a report of today's newscast from UAE Radio
Dubai: U.S. has rejected offer of talks from Taliban. Movements of
vessels in the Persian Gulf may indicate preparations for an attack
on Afghanistan. Saudi Government has announced support for U.S.
effort against terrorism but Saudi Foreign Ministry said campaign
should be carefully developed and focused on justice, not vengeance.
Israeli-Palestinian cease fire appears to be holding and there are
rumors that a meeting between officials from the two sides could take
place as early as "tonight", but there's been no confirmation of
this. Monitored on 13675 kHz. (--John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms
via DXLD)
0330 UT Sept 21: The news on UAE Radio Dubai (actually a relay of the
news from the Dubai FM commercial service) opened tonight with a
report on Bush's speech to the joint session of Congress, including
the U.S. ultimatum to Afghanistan. Powell says US will pursue bin
Laden around the world; did not rule out a trial outside the U.S.
Airline job cuts have spread to Europe...British Airways cuts 7000
jobs and 10% of its flights. U.S. gov't. is attempting to put
together a rescue package for its ailing air travel industry. NYC
Mayor Guiliani says 6333 missing, 241 dead confirmed. Pentagon toll:
188 missing, 44 confirmed dead. Monitored on 13675 kHz. (--John A.
Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD)
** U K. BBC expands Arabic, Pashto, Persian and Urdu services | Text
of press release from BBC World Service on 20 September
BBC World Service expands mediumwave transmissions and key broadcasts
serving Afghanistan and the surrounding region
BBC World Service is reinforcing its mediumwave transmissions, with
an additional frequency serving a large part of the region
surrounding and including Afghanistan, it was announced today
(Thursday 20 September).
The BBC World Service has also boosted shortwave transmissions to the
region and expanded output in Arabic, Pashto, Persian and Urdu - the
key languages of the region, in response to the escalating tension in
the area following the US attacks last week.
News and current affairs content in the usually mixed schedules of
each language service has been boosted. The Arabic service is running
a continuous 24-hour rolling news and current affairs format.
BBC World Service Director Mark Byford says: "For the region, the BBC
World Service is a vital lifeline. Audiences, literally, depend on
the BBC for impartial, accurate, trustworthy news and information. In
Afghanistan, with no television and no national newspaper, BBC radio
is a main form of communication.
"Our expansion is a prime example of the BBC World Service responding
to audience need and moving resources quickly to where it is needed
most. Shortwave savings, made by responding to audience migration to
FM and the Internet in the most developed broadcasting markets of the
world, are being moved to less developed regions where access to
accurate information is limited but a matter of crucial importance."
The new mediumwave frequency 1314 kHz covers Afghanistan, Bahrain,
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan and UAE during different times of
the day, as well as large parts of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan. This supplements mediumwave broadcasts on 1413 kHz in the
region.
The Arabic service has increased its broadcasts to become a 24-hour
service, providing news bulletins throughout the night, and adding
other long-form current affairs and analysis programmes.
The Pashto service has increased its broadcasts from 11.75 to 18.75
hours per week. The Persian service has increased its broadcasts from
28.25 to 37 hours per week. The Urdu service has increased its
broadcasts from 11.5 to 13.25 hours per week. Further increases in
Persian and Urdu are planned.
The Persian and Pashto services have added an extra lunchtime news
programme to supplement the usual breakfast and flagship evening news
programmes. Survey work before the crisis indicates that some 72 per
cent of Pashto language speakers and some 62 per cent of Persian
speakers in Afghanistan listen daily to the BBC World Service. The
Urdu language service, with an audience of more than 15 million in
Pakistan, has changed its usual mixed programming schedule to rolling
news and current affairs.
All three languages are increasing their on-line service, which
includes access to audio broadcasts, for locals and nationals living
elsewhere around the globe. BBCArabic.com already contains extensive,
interactive news services available and updated 24 hours a day.
"We've had an unprecedented response to our services in the past
week," says Mark Byford. "In the aftermath of the attack, our public
radio partners in the United States (and elsewhere around the globe)
took direct feeds of our broadcasts in high quality FM sound, many on
a rolling basis, including stations in New York, Washington, Boston,
San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Two Talking Point programmes on
Wednesday (12 September) and Sunday (16 September) - an international
phone-in and e-mail programme - attracted over 30,000 e-mails - many
of them from America.
"In the 24 hours after the attack, provisional figures show the BBC
World News on-line site increased traffic to our text and audio nine-
fold. Our Spanish site increased traffic 10-fold and Arabic site six-
fold," he says.
For further information: BBC World Service Press Office, Tel: 020
7557 2941
Source: BBC World Service press release, London, in English 20 Sep 01
(via BBCM via DXLD)
1314 would be Abu Dhabi, previously found wanting in coverage by IBB;
1413 is Muscat/Oman, of course (gh) No doubt the not further
specified 1314 outlet is Gavar/Armenia, as far as I know 1000 kW
through a high gain Bolshaya Zarya antenna (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) BBCWS via Abu Dhabi 1314 kHz (Dave Kenny, BBCM via
BDXC-UK, DXLD)
[And, exactly same remark as regarding VOA expansion below -gh]
BBC self-promotion:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1555000/1555
030.stm
The link brings you to a BBC Online article about how Afghans are
increasingly hungry for BBC News. (Ricky Leong, QU, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
To be fair to the BBC, they have been doing a lot of good work in
Afghanistan. My colleague Eric Beauchemin wrote an article and made a
radio feature about their activities. You'll find it at
http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/afghanistan000103.html
(Andy Sennitt, RN, swprograms via DXLD)
** U K. Ladies & Gentlemen of Outlook:
I am writing to let you know that this particular long-time listener
to your program has become more and more disappointed with the
contents of Outlook. I do believe that you have fundamentally changed
the approach and attitude that characterized the program when I began
listening to it on a regular (usually daily) basis some years ago.
It might have been that this change became more pronounced when the
program length went up to 40 minutes, but it certainly has been
extreme in recent months, and this past week was enough that I have
just quit listening when you announced the week's topics and I heard
the first one and parts of others.
I look to Outlook to provide a relief from the BBC's flood of news,
something with a range of topics and subjects not suitable for
inclusion in the range of arts and sciences and other feature
programs already on the BBC. I especially liked it as a source of
amusement and entertainment. It was something like an entire show
devoted only to the enjoyable and interesting "light" news items that
used to be regularly found at the end of "Newshour", but which are
mostly lacking now. It was something that was worth listening through
the entire program in order to get the pleasure of hearing this or
that segment which delighted or interested or entranced me.
No longer. You have made Outlook into a "social issues" program
that wastes almost all of its airtime on whatever political cause
or ideological viewpoint that the staff seems to want to push on the
listenership. In this past week, with all the tragedy and constant
news coverage, Outlook could have been a relief from that topic, a
source of pleasure and lightness amongst the misery. Instead you dive
into it and dwell on that topic above all others.
It's not surprising, considering the time you previously wasted on
topics like racism, that you did this, but it is so very
disappointing. I really wish that you could return to the type of
content you carried years ago, and let the staff who so seem to want
to be serious and emotional journalists migrate to other parts of the
BBC, leaving Outlook to those who have a lighter-hearted "outlook" on
life.
A radio magazine program has a fundamental difference from a print
magazine, in that I can pick up a print magazine and leaf through it,
ignoring or skipping that which I dislike, and concentrating on the
items I want to read or see. Listeners cannot do that with a radio
program; we have to put up with what you air in the order you pick to
air it in order to get to what we want. It has become more and more
irritating to do that with Outlook during the past months, as the
gems amongst the dross became fewer and fewer, and now it seems that
it just isn't worth the effort.
Can you change back? Will you change back? Or must I write off this
part of the BBC schedule too, the way BBC management wrote off the
BBC's shortwave listeners in the Americas a few months ago?
(William Martin, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, Sept 21, to BBCWS, copy
to DXLD)
** U K. DX Information from the British DX Club (BDXC-UK).
This coming weekend various buildings in/around London which are
normally closed to the general public are going to be open for tours
of the architecturally interesting bits ... including BBC
Broadcasting House and Bush House. More info from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/londonlive/entertainment/made_in_london/openhous
e_2001.shtml
and http://www.londonopenhouse.org/
(Mark Hattam, BDXC-UK Sept 21 via DXLD) Previously publicized here
** U K. Re DXLD-130, what is ``quangos``?
Quasi - Autonomous Non - Governmental OrganisationS. It means not
government but not private, so somewhere in between. In practice
govt. appoints them and influences what they do but takes no
responsibility if anything goes wrong! (Donald J. C. Cameron, member
of WDXC, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Glenn, Quangos are Quasi Autonomous Non Governmental Organisations -
essentially public bodies whose members are appointed not elected.
Britain is run by them. Members should be chosen for their expertise,
but popular myth suggests that membership is a sinecure in return for
favours to politicians. It is of course entirely coincidental that
Dyke and Davies, both large donors of money to the Labour party, have
been appointed to highly paid posts at the BBC. Your pro-BBC
readership should perhaps consider whether anything they hear on the
BBC is free from political bias (Nicholas Mead, UK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
A quango is a quasi-autonomous national government (or non-
governmental) organisation. Any of numerous government-sponsored
agencies or authorities with independent powers. I couldn`t remember
exactly what the letters QUANGO stood for but the above is the
dictionary definition.
And re pronunciation of ``Pentagon``:
If you are able to listen to BBC Radio 4 tonight at 2030 UT by chance
there is a programme called 'Routes of English' which might provide
some insight into pronunciation. This programme concerns the
Caribbean. Pronunciation of your own surname is open to
interpretation, and the correct way would not be known if I had not
heard you say it! And look at the difficulty you have had with Noel!
(Noël Green, UK, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K. Gavyn Davies appointed new BBC Chairman | Text of press
release from the BBC on 19 September
The government today announced that Gavyn Davies has been appointed
as BBC Chairman for five years from 1 October, following the
resignation of Sir Christopher Bland to become Chairman of BT. Gavyn
Davies has been Vice-Chairman of the BBC since January 2001. He has
resigned as Vice-Chairman and the government will now start the
process of appointing his successor.
Gavyn Davies said: "It is without doubt the greatest thrill and
privilege of my professional life to have emerged from an open public
appointment process as the next Chairman of the BBC. It is a
privilege to succeed Sir Christopher Bland, given his formidable
track record, and in light of the challenges facing the BBC over the
second half of this Charter.
"The BBC is a magnificent and precious organization. It occupies a
central place in the life of our nation because of what it stands for
- independence, impartiality, journalistic freedom, creativity,
quality and public service. As the broadcasting marketplace evolves
in the next five years, these are the attributes that will ensure a
thriving future for the BBC.
"I am inheriting a Board of the highest calibre and an organization
which exudes creativity and commitment at every turn. The BBC`s
independence from political and commercial pressures is fundamental
to its credibility. I am fully committed, as are the rest of the
Board and the Director-General, to ensuring that this independence
remains unassailable."
Welcoming the appointment, Sir Christopher Bland said: "Gavyn is an
extremely talented and intelligent man, who not only understands the
importance of public service broadcasting but is also passionate
about the BBC.
"His appointment is significant because he is the first BBC Chairman
to be selected under the open process of Nolan rules by an
independent panel and not politicians. He was recommended unanimously
by the panel to the Prime Minister and appointed by the Queen in
Council.
"The organization is lucky to have Gavyn as Chairman. I wish him and
the BBC well for the future.
"Five and a half years as Chairman of the BBC has been a great
privilege. I have met and worked with hundreds of talented people who
make wonderful programmes and I leave the BBC with a mixture of
sadness and great affection," said Sir Christopher.
Director-General Greg Dyke said: "Gavyn Davies has already made a
strong impact on the BBC since becoming Vice-Chairman. His grasp of
the challenges facing the BBC and his insight into how to respond to
them, mean he is highly respected by Governors and senior management
alike. He will continue to be a powerful champion of the public
interest and of the BBC`s independence."
"Everyone agrees that Sir Christopher Bland has been an outstanding
Chairman. I have learnt a lot from him over many years and I wish him
well at BT."
Issued by BBC Press Office; Tel: 020 8576 1865;
bbc.press.office@bbc.co.uk Pictures are available on the BBC Bulletin
Board. For further information please telephone: [+44] 020 8576 7883
Source: BBC press release, London, in English 19 Sep 01 (via BBCM via
DXLD)
** U K [non]. Radio Ezra New Series: Dear Friends in DX-ing, Please
could you make known to your various members and colleagues that
Radio Ezra will be returning to the air on Sunday 7th October 2001
for a weekly half hour series of programmes aimed primarily at the
Pacific for three months.
Frequency will be 12110 kHz and the times are 0900-0930 UT each
Sunday. The transmitter is sited in Russia.
I would be very grateful for any reception reports and shall respond
with the station QSL card. Please enclose either $1 or International
Reply Coupon to cover return postage. Details about Radio Ezra's
studio, equipment, transmitter details and general station
information can be found at the Radio Ezra homepage.
Many thanks and God's blessing, John D. Hill
Water Into Wine Ministry PUTTING SANITY BACK INTO CHRISTIANITY
Ministry Homepage: http://www.water-into-wine.com
Radio Ezra Homepage: http://radioezra.members.easyspace.com
Fax: +44 1642 887546 (via DXLD)
We already ran an item about this some weeks ago, with much greater
detail (gh)
** U S A. WTC Update From Jack Amelar: Information from the SBE102
list (Society of Broadcast Engineers) [DATE? -gh]
This was forwarded to me by our VP of Engineering and Operations.
I don't know who the author is, but it provides details on the
personal impact upon the NYC broadcast community:
It's hard to even know where to begin as I write this early Thursday
morning. There are a few bits of good news to pass along on New
York's broadcast scene: We heard from Clear Channel's John Lyons and
Jeff Littlejohn, letting us know that all of Clear Channel/New York's
employees are accounted for, including WKTU engineer Joe Maguire, who
was at the station's Jersey City studios on Tuesday when the World
Trade Center was destroyed. WKTU is, as we suspected, using Clear
Channel's new auxiliary facility at Four Times Square until further
notice. Also safe is WWOR engineer John Neuhaus, who was not at the
WWOR transmitter when the building was hit.
The news, unfortunately, is much more grim for the rest of the
engineers who were manning the transmitters on the 109th and 110th
floors of One World Trade Center. WCBS-TV (Channel 2) reports two
engineers missing; one, we're told, is former WHDH (Boston)
engineer Bob Pattison, the other is Isaías Rivera. An unidentified
WNBC (Channel 4) engineer was talking to the station's master
control after the attack when the line went dead; he, too, is
missing. Broadcasting & Cable reports one WPIX (Channel 11) engineer
is also unaccounted for, and we're told WNET (Channel 13) engineer
Rod Coppola was on the 110th floor Tuesday morning and also remains
missing.
In addition, AllAccess reports former WAXQ (104.3) jock Darian
O'Toole, who also worked in San Francisco recently, is among the dead
at the World Trade Center.
A status update on the stations that used the World Trade Center
tower:
WCBS-TV (2) - remains on the air from its Empire State Building
auxiliary transmitter, though we hear that site was off the air
for almost half an hour Tuesday afternoon.
WNBC (4) - has been reported back with a low-power signal, though
we're not sure from where. WNBC's signal is also being seen at times
on Long Island public broadcaster WLIW (Channel 21) and on New
Jersey ethnic broadcaster WMBC-TV (Channel 63).
WNYW-TV (Fox 5) - also being seen via WMBC-TV.
WABC-TV (7) - continues to be simulcast on WNYE-TV (Channel 25)
and WHSE (Channel 68) from Empire, as well as on the New Jersey
Network's transmitters statewide. WABC is the only network affiliate
in New York that's providing information on its Web site about where
to find its signal; we find it odd that the others aren't conveying
this important information.
WWOR (UPN 9) - on cable and satellite only.
WPIX-TV (WB 11) - has been reported on the air with a weak signal;
again, we're not sure from where. WPIX's Web site is letting cable
operators know where to find the station's satellite signal, which
was restored sometime Tuesday and is being offered in the clear.
WNET (PBS 13) - on cable only; we'd expect that once the initial
crisis passes, WNET and new sister station WLIW will find some way to
combine their broadcast offerings on WLIW's signal until channel 13
can restore its own signal.
WPXN (Pax 31) - on cable only, relaying NBC's coverage for the
most part.
WNJU (Telemundo 47) - apparently on cable only.
WKCR (89.9) - Silent, and staying that way for now, according to the
station Web site.
WPAT-FM (93.1) - Still silent, but offering programming in
conjunction with sister station WSKQ (97.9) and on the Web. We've
heard unconfirmed reports that WPAT-FM is, or will soon be, back via
a backup transmitter at Empire.
WNYC-FM (93.9) - Silent and expecting to stay that way for a while,
but offering programming over the New York City Board of Education's
WNYE-FM (91.5), thanks to an emergency resolution by the board and
schools chancellor Harold Levy. WNYC's AM sister at 820 has also been
affected by the state of emergency, since the stations' studios at
the Municipal Building have been evacuated since Tuesday. WNYC's
programming is originating from NPR's midtown studios for now.
(Pacifica's WBAI 99.5 has been running dead carrier for the same
reason; its staffers can't reach the station's Wall Street studios.)
WKTU (103.5) - Continuing to use the Clear Channel auxiliary facility
at Four Times Square.
One more note: Up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Shop at Home's WSAH
(Channel 43) has been running just a sympathy slide since 10:30
Tuesday morning. WSAH chief engineer Ron Barnes, in a posting to the
New York Radio Message Board, is offering the station's facilities to
broadcasters in need.
Interesting that the national media has ignored this aspect of the
destruction of the WTC towers -- I guess the studio personnel don't
think of the towers that are necessary to broadcast the signals they
create.... or the people that keep the signals on the air (via MARE
Newsletter Sept 21 via DXLD)
Here is a summary of where NYC TV stations will be relocating:
Empire State Building: WCBS 2*, WNYW 5*, WWOR 9
Alpine NJ: WNBC 4*, WABC 7*, WPIX 11*, WNET 13*
TBA: WPXN 31, WNJU 47
*On the air already.
Also, Channel 5 WNYW is now on with a fair signal, new in the last 24
hours (Karl Zuk, N2KZ, NYC, Sept 20, WTFDA via DXLD)
Read a report today somewhere - I forget where - that WPIX-11 is
going to be allowed to re-establish its translator on channel 64.
Isn't that the same channel used by the translator they had to fill
in the shadow while the WTC was being built in the first place? No
word about any other temporary translators.
It is also reported that WNYW-5 will be closing down their DTV
operation (ch. 44) on the ESB so they can use the space (both on the
antenna mast and in the transmitter room) for their analog operation.
Finally, I also saw a report today that stations whose NTSC channel
is above 59, and DTV channel is below 60, will be allowed to move
their NTSC operation to their *DTV* channel. They would then be
expected to give up their >59 channel. (when they're ready to go DTV
their NTSC operation would be shut down - there would be no analog/
digital simulcast) The idea is to clear channels 60-69 faster for
land mobile. This could make for some very interesting changes on the
dial... (-- Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN, Sept 20,
WTFDA via DXLD)
According to a sign put up by my co-op apartment corporation, based
on info from their master antenna maintainer, WCBS-TV (2), WNYW (5)
and WWOR (9) are on the Empire State Bldg.
WNBC (4), WABC-TV (7), WPIX (11) and WNET (13) are in New Jersey ---
I'm not sure if they are all at the Armstrong tower near the west end
of the George Washington Bridge.
I think 9 may have moved after it came back on as it became much
stronger after a while. 13 isn't really usable for me and 25 relays
13 in prime time.
11 had a relay on 64 but it didn't the last time I checked.
(Joel Rubin, Queens, Sept 21 2103 UT, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. This is a very well designed site. Click on The WTC
Memorial http://www.thewtcmemorial.com (Tom McNiff, Burke, Virginia,
USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WORLD TRADE CENTER AMATEUR RADIO VOLUNTEERS BEARING UP WELL
New York Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service volunteers generally are in good spirits, but
tired, says New York City-Long Island Section Emergency Coordinator
Tom Carrubba, KA2D. "The mood is positive," he said, more than a week
into the grim reality of the World Trade Center attack response.
"Overall, it's going very, very well. Everybody's settling into the
routine of the operation."
Two dozen or more hams per shift are covering communications and
logistical support for the American Red Cross as well as
supplementing communication for the New York City Office of Emergency
Management. "It's a great effort every day, 24/7, and it's expanding
as we get more requests." A single, multi-purpose ARES/RACES net is
being maintained on the 147.000 MHz repeater in Manhattan. New York
City District Emergency Coordinator and RACES Radio Officer Charles
Hargrove, N2NOV, is serving as the incident commander.
At this point, Carrubba said, the need for volunteers is being
largely covered by amateurs from the Greater New York City Area--
which includes New York City and Long Island, Eastern New York,
Connecticut and Northern New Jersey. Hams have volunteered from all
over, however, including at least eight Delaware-Lehigh Amateur Radio
Club members from from Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.
Hams are deployed to 13 American Red Cross shelters, two OEM sites,
several staging areas, and Red Cross headquarters, and as net
controls. At any given time, up to a half dozen amateurs are posted
just outside the secure perimeter of the so-called "Ground Zero"
World Trade Center site, where Carrubba described conditions as
"terrible." Volunteers there have been asked to provide respirators
and other protective clothing. Shifts at all locations are 12 hours
long.
Carrubba explained that Amateur Radio volunteers are being rotated in
and out of areas and duties in an effort to equalize the stress. "The
first 30 or 40 hours everybody does 'the iron man act,' I call it,
because they're running on adrenaline," he said. After that, everyone
gets some rest and unwinds a little bit. "The people that are going
back are fresh," he said.
Since September 11, more than 350 hams have volunteered in excess of
5000 work hours.
Carrubba anticipates the Amateur Radio support operations to continue
for some time to come, since the normal telecommunications systems
remain disrupted or problematic. "The communications in the shelter
are being used like telephones," he said. Telephone service is
available, but it can take 15 or 20 tries to get a call through.
Carrubba said net traffic has been substantial, although there are
occasional lulls.
Many more volunteers will be needed before the ARES and RACES
operation stands down "Right now our task is a long-term effort,
Carrubba said. "The schedule is being filled in on a day-by-day
basis." To date, more than 200 individuals have signed up via the
World Trade Center Disaster Relief Communications Web site,
http://wtc.ab2m.net
Carrubba expects that Amateur Radio assistance might be needed at
least another week and possibly longer. "As long as there's a need
for communications, we will be there," he said.
In the meantime, REACT International is seeking additional Amateur
Radio and licensed GMRS users, primarily to support the Salvation
Army's relief efforts in New York. "We still need volunteers," said
REACT International Secretary Lee Besing, N5NTG, who added that some
shifts on Wednesday went unfilled. "They're burning out and having to
return to their jobs," he said. REACT is now running 20 volunteers
per shift. Volunteers should visit the REACT International Web site,
http://www.reactintl.org/tragedy_09112001.htm or contact Charles
Bessels, NYCHelp@reactintl.org
==>PENTAGON ARES TEAM STANDS DOWN
The team managed by Virginia Amateur Radio Emergency Service to
support the Salvation Army's disaster relief operation at the
Pentagon stood down this week. Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator
Tom Gregory, N4NW, thanked all who volunteered and turned out to
assist following the September 11 terrorist attack.
"With the changes in security, increased shift times and, most of
all, the ability of the Salvation Army to [now] manage their support
operations via telephone, the need for Amateur Radio has ended,"
Gregory said. "The support provided here in Virginia, by the hams in
New York --- where operations continue --- and in Pennsylvania
clearly demonstrates the resolve and commitment by so many hams to
meet the needs of our fellow Americans at this time of great
tragedy."
The ARES operation --- with Tom Harmon, AK1E, as incident commander -
-- provided logistical support between the Salvation Army's relief
and recovery effort on site and the agency's Arlington headquarters.
The Salvation Army has been providing food and refreshments to the
crews engaged in the Pentagon investigation and recovery operations.
Gregory said many of the more than 100 volunteers who reported for
duty between September 11 and September 18 gave up time with their
families and their jobs. In a few cases, he said, he even wrote
letters to employers requesting that volunteers be allowed time off
to work the incident.
"Amateur Radio performed exactly as it was supposed to," Gregory
said. "We responded to the need to provide communications where none
were available." He said the Virginia ARES organization stands ready
to jump in again "at a moment's notice" if the need arises.
Another amateur team consisting of Mt Vernon Amateur Radio Club and
Arlington County Amateur Radio Club members was providing
communication and technical support to the American Red Cross relief
effort at the Pentagon site. Arlington County ARES Emergency
Coordinator Alan Bosch, KO4ALA, said his team was running shifts from
8 AM through 1 AM each day, and he expected the operation to continue
at least through week's end.
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, visited members of the Pentagon
ARES team on Monday, September 17. Gregory said he appreciated
Haynie's encouragement at a difficult time. Haynie was accompanied by
ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, FCC Special Counsel
for Amateur Radio Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth, and ARRL Virginia
Section Manager Carl Clements, W4CAC. (ARRL Letter Sept 21 via John
Norfolk, DXLD)
ATTACK ON AMERICA: HOW TO FIND TERRORISTS AND SPIES ON THE AIR PART 1
Shortly after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon, FCC Special Counsel Riley Hollingsworth asked radio
amateurs to keep their ears open and report any suspicious or
clandestine communications to him. But many hams probably do not know
what to listen for. An expert in this area is Chicago area ham Joe
Schroeder, W9JUV. We asked Joe to give us an inkling of what we all
should be listening for:
--
In-Q: Anytime you run across... Out-Q: ...in English if they do.
-- [actuality not transcribed –gh]
Joe Schroeder has a lot more to monitoring for terrorist
communications than we can possibly cover in our newscast, but you
can hear it. Part one of our two part interview with W9JUV is on the
web right now in Real Audio at http://www.rainreport.com. It's also
available on the phone at 847-827-7246. That`s 847 - 827 - RAIN.
One last item. If you do happen across something that needs to be
reported, you will need to know where to take your information. Those
who have been watching TV or reading newspapers already know that a
Federal Bureau of Investigation task force is assigned to head up the
domestic aspect of the investigation. It has also requested all media
outlets let the public know that it would like any leads reported
directly to it. To accomplish this, the FBI has set up a toll free
number area code 866-483-5137. Again, that's area code 866-483-5137.
Information can also be sent via a special website at
http://www.ifccfbi.gov. The FCC's Hollingsworth can be contacted by
e-mail to fccham@fcc.gov. All these addresses and other resources are
at the very top of our web page at http://www.arnewsline.org
(ARNewsline(tm) via John Norfolk, DXLD)
** U S A. You have been sent this message from a user as a courtesy
of the Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com
Recent Air Patrols Frighten Some, Fascinate Others, By Marc Fisher
You hear them all night, swooshing and droning across the night sky.
You can see some of them, their lights darting beneath the stars...
To view the entire article, go to
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59612-2001Sep19.html
(via Tom McNiff, who finds the sound of the Air Force very
comforting, DXLD) Deals with scannists, quotes Larry Van Horn, MT
** U S A. WAAR, American Anti-Terrorist Radio 26500/AM 9-16 1735+ SIO
131 Interesting patriotic program with tunes like "This Land is Your
Land", "New York New York", "Fight The Good Fight" and "We're Not
Going To Take It". Computer generated voice IDs. Very heavy fading
but they had a live MP3 stream i recorded. Listen here:
http://piratestuff.topcities.com/waar_09-16-01.htm (PLS QSL: Alex
Draper, Orillia, ON, Free Radio Weekly via DXLD)
** U S A. After the Horror, Radio Stations Pull Some Songs
By NEIL STRAUSS
Clear Channel Communications, the Texas-based company that owns
about 1,170 radio stations nationwide, has circulated a list of 150
songs and asked its stations to avoid playing them because of the
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Some listed songs would be insensitive to play right now, such as
the Gap Band's "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" and Soundgarden's "Blow
Up the Outside World," but other choices, critics and musicians
say, are less explicable because they have little literal
connection to the tragedies.... Full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/19/arts/music/19POPL.html?ex=100193034
3&ei=1&en=6c313fd85a1f7455
(via Bill Westenhaver, QC, DXLD, who adds that even the LA Times has
editorialized against CC; might want to look that one up)
Regarding the ridiculously long list of songs banned by that great
arbiter of good taste and high culture, Clear Channel....chalk up
another argument against further consolidation of the radio industry
(John A. Figliozzi, NY, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Clear Channel's list of banned songs is a hoax. Go to
http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/hoaxes/radio.htm 73 (Mike Brooker
Toronto, ON, NRC-AM via DXLD) Not exactly... (gh)
[non] In the RFPI Mailbag slot Fri 2000-2030+ James & Debra Latham
editorialize the Peace viewpoint on this situation, and play some of
the ``banned`` music: Imagine, Here Comes the Sun... Repeated UT Sat
0200, 0800, 1400, perhaps Sat 1830, Sun 0030, 0630, 1230 (gh, DXLD)
** U S A.. It's doubtful that military action will bring a resolution
to terrorism. Still, our government has an obligation to protect its
citizens, from attack. So I guess this is a national security issue.
I believe the word "war" is used in order placate the public, who
is blood thirsty for revenge. The truth is, there can be no war if
there is no opposing side. We do not have a target, because they are
spread over many nations, including our own. They do not posses a
well trained army, airforce, or any other gear we can smash up. What
they do possess is fundamentalist ideology which will induce a person
to board a plane and take his own life by flying it into a building.
How do you conquer that with guns and bombs? If anything, you will
only strengthen their resolve.
The Israelis have been participating in this never ending cycle
for decades. They have a well equipped army which routinely faces off
against stone throwing boys. That is their enemy! They disperse the
crowd with tear gas or rubber bullets, and the opposition hits back
with a car bombing. Where there is an uneven share of power, there is
never any resolution to the conflict. The same is true in N Ireland.
So this is the situation in which we find ourselves.
What is the way out? I believe it is important to first understand
the political history of Afghanistan, and the effect that western
influence has had in that region.
There is no doubt that the influence of the west has been a major
factor in the formation of the current situation in Afghanistan, and
indeed, all of the Mid-East. This influence is very complex, and
almost always destructive.
Technologies develop according to the degree to which a culture
promotes the freedom and rights of the INDIVIDUAL. The reason for
this is, that the creative process requires an environment which
nurtures the notion of free thought, or at least doesn't attempt to
stamp it out. With a low degree of freedom, any sort of evolution of
technology is virtually impossible. In highly evolved cultures, such
as democracies, technology develops quickly. All of history shows
this to be true. In places where people are savage and abuse their
fellow man, both technology and human culture will actually regress.
Such is the case now in Afghanistan.
Since this is the case, the Taliban rely on outside sources for
their weaponry. They are not able to develop these things for
themselves. One can imagine if completely left alone, they would
eventually end up fighting in the desert on horses with swords, after
all the ammunition and fuel was spent. That level of technology is, I
guess, is appropriate for their lack of compassion, and disregard for
human rights. To arm them with powerful weapons will amplify their
ability to do harm. To intentionally train and arm them, in an
attempt to influence the outcome of a political situation, as did the
CIA during the Afghan/USSR war, is irresponsible and unethical.
The situation we are seeing today with the Taliban is partially the
responsibility of past actions by the US and Russia. George Bush said
this will be the first war of the 21st century, but it is probably
more accurate to say this is one of the last conflicts of the 20th
century (-David Hodgson, TN, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. Hi Glenn, after a week of condolence and
consciousness: Some RIGHT WING stuff ... there are different views on
other continents of the world. And nobody speaks of the oil and gas
resources in Kuwait, Alaska, Central Asia, Azerbaijan. US firms like
to set up a pipeline of Oil and Gas from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan through Afghanistan, Pakistan to the
Indian Ocean port too ... and the Pakistanis will fall as NEXT domino
into the FUNDAMENTALIST Muslim country chain ... 73 wb (Wolfgang
Büschel, Germany, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
William Safire: The VOA is too even-handed to Afghanistan; we need
RFE/RL http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/20/opinion/20SAFI.html
Equal Time for Hitler?
WASHINGTON -- The primary source of information for the average
Afghan is the radio, often a transistor made 30 years ago. The 20
transmitting towers of the Taliban's Radio Shariat (meaning "Islamic
law") are spewing out hatred of America all the time. Why is there no
Radio Free Afghanistan broadcasting the truth about the consequences
of harboring the headquarters of terrorism? [...] Which U.S.
government broadcaster should be charged with stirring anger among
Afghans at rulers eager to bring further devastation to their
country? That mission of countering Radio Shariat's propaganda should
go to RFE/RL, the "radio free" outfit experienced in acting as a
surrogate free press in repressive nations like Iran, Iraq and China.
But evenhanded journalists at the V.O.A., backed by political
holdovers on the Broadcasting Board, don't want those hard-sell types
invading their turf. The V.O.A. broadcasts to Afghanistan with fine
impartiality in the Dari, Pashto, Urdu and Arabic languages, and
yesterday stepped up its time on the air; RFE/RL broadcasts only in
Turkmen and Uzbek, understood in Afghanistan's north, where our
problem is not. [...] (via Joel Rubin, DXLD)
also full article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/20/opinion/20SAFI.html?ex=1001974805&e
i=1&en=8bfb66c3c09b9f46
(via Tom McNiff, DXLD)
There was a station like that before. [R. Free Afghanistan].
Ironically, it used to broadcast the messages of the CIA-backed
"freedom fighters" like Bin Laden. The station was successfully
jammed from the territory of the Soviet Union. Of course, according
to Safire's logic, it would be much easier simply to it...
RFA had its own QSLs. The Soviet DXers who wrote to RFA also received
the unsolicited magazine articles and pictures of the "Russian
atrocities" in Afghanistan (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, swprograms via DXLD)
I wrote my last message from one of the libraries in the southern
Chicago suburbs. I didn't realize that they started censoring such
words as "terror" and "bomb." Re-read my message above and you'll
know what I'm talking about. Sorry! I guess it's really a new world
out there :-( (Sergei Sosedkin, ibid.) [The first automatically
censored word appeared in a quotation of previous item not reproduced
here -gh]
First mention of Afghan service was in WRTH87. Last mentioned in
WRTH90. The Russians came out in 89, did they not? (Andy Sennitt, ex-
WRTH editor, swprograms via DXLD)
My 1991 Handbook shows an Afghan service under Germany RFE/RL in
Pashto/Dari and Pashto Dari services also listed in 1992, I don`t
have 1993, nothing in 1994 (Mike Barraclough, ibid.)
** U S A. VOA expands broadcasts to Afghanistan and Middle East |
Text of press release by Voice of America on 19 September
Washington, DC, 19 September: In order to cover more thoroughly the
unfolding events following last week's terrorist attacks, the Voice
of America (VOA) has expanded news broadcasts in Arabic, Dari, Farsi,
Pashto and Urdu to the Middle East and South and Central Asia
(including Afghanistan). Broadcasts feature expanded coverage of
events in the United States and the region. The daily broadcasts were
increased as follows.
Pashto extended by 30 minutes for a total of 1.75 hours.
Dari extended by 30 minutes for a total of 1.75 hours.
Urdu added one half-hour programme for a total of 2 hours.
Arabic added four half-hour programmes for a total of 9 hours.
Farsi added two half-hour programmes for a total of 4.5 hours.
Arabic, broadcast to 21 countries in the Middle East and North
Africa, and Farsi, broadcast primarily to Iran, were expanded
beginning on 11 September 2001. Pashto and Dari, broadcast to
Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Urdu, broadcast to Pakistan and India,
were expanded beginning the early hours of 18 September 2001. VOA's
additional programming is broadcast via shortwave and mediumwave (AM)
radio and live-streamed on the Internet at http://www.voanews.com
A survey of adult males in Afghanistan indicates VOA has an estimated
weekly listenership of approximately 80 per cent. VOA listeners
surveyed indicated high regard for the relevance and credibility of
the station's programming - 94 per cent agreed VOA programmes were
"relevant to my interests," and 72 per cent agreed that "VOA gives
you the facts and lets you form your own opinions".
The Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting
service funded by the US government. VOA broadcasts over 900 hours of
news, informational, educational and cultural programming every week
to a worldwide audience of 91 million. Programmes are produced and
broadcast in English and 52 other languages.
For additional information, please contact the Office of External
Affairs at (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov.
Source: Voice of America press release, Washington, in English 19 Sep
01 (via BBCM and Mike Terry via DXLD)
Geez, VOA publicity department, while you`re at it, why in the world
don`t you include, or at least append, the actual times and MW and SW
frequencies, in case anyone actually wants to *listen* to the
expanded broadcasts?! I should NOT have to keep harping on this
seemingly obvious point! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Extended VOA Broadcasts to the Middle East and Pakistan
Hi, as a reaction to the dastardly terror attacks to the World Trade
Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, Voice of America
has increased its broadcast output in Arabic, Dari, Pashto and Urdu
to the Middle East and Pakistan.
Arabic has been added at
1100-1130 on 15355, 15515 and 17685
1400-1430 on 9825 and 15495
1500-1530 on 9825, 13755 and 15495
1600-1630 on 9825, 13755 and 15495
The 1600 broadcast may have been increased once more because it has
been heard on Sept 21 until 1700.
Dari has got an early afternoon broadcast at 1045-1100 on 15225,
17735 and 21700. Pashto has also got an early afternoon broadcast at
1030-1045 on 15255, 17735 and 21770.
Farsi has been added at 1130-1200 on 15355, 15515 and 17685; 1430-
1500 on 9825 and 15495.
The first evening broadcast in Urdu at 1400 has been prolonged from
30 to 60 minutes and now starts at 1330 on 9505, 15190 and 17870.
First heard on September 20 and 21. The VoA-Homepage has been updated
on September 20 and lists all these changes. IBB's schedules do not
have these add's.
Further changes may be possible when the US starts its 'camapign
against terrorism'. No changes have been noted on BBC's and Deutsche
Welle's [q.v.] broadcasts in the languages mentioned. Best wishes
from Wuppertal vy 55 + 73, (Manfred Reiff, Sept 21, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** U S A. While reading about WJCR in the September 2001 Monitoring
Times magazine, I find that my old Continental transmitters are once
again on the air. I worked at Bethany Relay for 10 years, and was
there when we closed in 1994. Those two transmitters have quite a
history. One of them was used for the world's first stereo shortwave
broadcast. Using VOA Europe as a program source, the left channel was
fed to the lower sideband, and the right channel to the upper
sideband. It took 2 receivers to get the stereo effect, but, I have
audio tapes of the broadcast. When the 2 sidebands were equal level,
there was about a 30 dB stereo separation, which would change to mono
if one or the other sideband dropped in level. I am now back with the
IBB / VOA out here in Delano, CA. There are still 2 of these
transmitters sitting out here, which I plan to get operating once
again one of these days (John Vodenik, CA, Sep 18, Cumbre DX via
DXLD)
** U S A. Program schedule September 18, WRMI Radio Miami
International, 7385, 9955 and 15725 kHz Shortwave. Days are local
days in the Americas; times are UTC. Días son días locales en las
Américas; horas son UTC.
[This time we have edited out all religious shows, but retained Cuban
exile broadcasts, foreign relays, DX, music/entertainment shows, with
a few program description blurbs below the schedule -gh]
MONDAY-FRIDAY/LUNES-VIERNES
To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y
Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz:
0930-1000 Radio Praga (español)
1000-1200 La Voz de La Fundación (español)
To Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y
Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz:
2300-0000 La Voz de La Fundación (español)
Note: The following are Tuesday-Saturday UT. Los siguientes son
martes-sábado UT.
0000-0030 Radio Praga (español - lunes-viernes)
0030-0100 Viva Miami (español -miércoles, viernes)
To North America on 7385 kHz/Hacia Norteamérica en 7385 kHz:
0200-0230 Radio Praga (español)
0230-0300 Kol Israel (English, Monday-Thursday)
0300-0330 Radio Prague (English)
SATURDAY/SABADO
To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y
Latinoamerica en 9955 kHz:
0900-1000 Foro Militar Cubano (español)
1000-1200 La Voz de La Fundación (español)
To North America on 15725 kHz/Hacia Norteamérica en 15725 kHz:
2100-2200 Viva Miami (English)
To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y
Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz:
2300-0000 La Voz de La Fundación (español)
Note: The following are Sunday UT. Los siguientes son domingo UT.
0000-0030 Conversando entre Cubanos (español)
0100-0200 Radio Revista Lux (español)
To North America on 7385 kHz/Para Norteamérica en 7385 kHz:
0200-0230 Radio Praga (español)
0300-0330 Radio Prague (English)
0330-0400 This Lousy Half-Hour Show (English)
0400-0430 Wavescan (English)
0430-0500 Thoughts, Feelings & Reality (English)
SUNDAY/DOMINGO
To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y
Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz:
0900-1000 Foro Militar Cubano (español)
To North America on 15725 kHz/Hacia Norteamérica en 15725 kHz:
1230-1300 Wavescan (English)
1300-1330 Radio Prague (English)
1400-1500 World Radio Network (English)
[such as? VOA Communications World?? which is on WRN1 NAm at 1400?]
1500-1530 Wavescan (English)
2030-2100 Kol Israel (English)
2100-2300 Viva Miami (English/español)
To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y
Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz:
Note: The following are Monday UT. Los siguientes son lunes UT
0030-0100 Radio Oriente Libre (español)
0130-0200 Conversando entre Cubanos (español)
To North America on 7385 kHz/Para Norteamérica en 7385 kHz:
0200-0230 Radio Praga (español)
0230-0300 Kol Israel (English)
0300-0330 Radio Prague (English)
Conversando entre Cubanos: Un programa de actualidad de la Asociación
de Ex-Presos Políticos Cubanos en el Exilio. Producido por Justo
Gabriel Quintana y Rolando Borges. Dirección: Ex-Club, 6858 W.
Flagler Street, Miami, Florida 33144 USA.
Foro Militar Cubano: Programa político para Cuba producido por la
Asociación de Veteranos Cubano Americanos (CAVA). Productor: Frank
Hernández Trujillo. Dirección: Foro Militar Cubano, c/o CAVA,
Apartado Postal 140305, Coral Gables, Florida 33144-0305. Fax +1-305-
285-0311 ó +1-305-264-1880.
La Voz de la Fundación: Programa de la Fundación Nacional Cubano
Americana, la organización de exiliados cubanos mas grande de Miami.
Productora: Ninoska Pérez Castellón [sic]. Dirección: La Voz de la
Fundación, Apartado Postal 440069, Miami, Florida 33144 USA. Tel +1-
305-592-7768. Fax +1-305-592-7889. Correo electrónico:
information@canf.org. Página web: http://www.canfnet.org [but see
CUBA non! - has been cancelled for now]
Radio Oriente Libre: Una transmisión de la Asamblea Provincial de
Oriente en el Exilio para sus compatriotas en Cuba. Dirección: 15611
SW 48 Street, Miami, Florida 33185 EUA.
Radio Revista Lux: Programa de noticias y actualidades del Sindicato
de Trabajadores Eléctricos, Gas y Agua de Cuba en el Exilio.
Productor: René L. Díaz. Locutor: Marcial Ontivero. Dirección: Radio
Revista Lux, 7175 SW 8 Street, Suite 213, Miami, Florida 33144 EUA.
Teléfono/Fax: +1-305-262-6050.
This Lousy Half-Hour Show: Host Charlie Kaufman presents an eclectic
variety of music, from blues and swing to jazz and steel drums. You
never know what you're going to hear from week to week on Charlie's
lousy half-an-hour show. It may be an offer for a barbecue beef ribs
recipe, a commentary on the Elián González controversy or a feature
dedicated to the Caribbean Carnival in Orlando, Florida. Tune him in
and drop him a line. The show's on each Saturday night at 11:30 p.m.
Eastern time on 7385 kHz. Address: This Lousy Half-Hour Show, P.O.
Box 120095, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 USA. Fax +1-305-559-8186.
E-mail: lousy@wrmi.net
Thoughts, Feelings & Reality: Joe Zychik presents this program live
each Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. Pacific Time on 7385 kHz. Address:
Thoughts, Feelings & Reality, 1560 Newbury Road #1-154, Newbury Park,
California 91320 USA. Tel +1-805-375-5662. Fax +1-805-375-5659. E-
mail: joe@zychik.com Web page: http://www.sexualcontrol.com [! -gh]
Viva Miami: Jeff White hosts the English edition of Viva Miami, which
features information, music, entertainment, letters from listeners,
DX news and interviews from Miami and the state of Florida, as well
as travel features from around the world. Address: WRMI, P. O. Box
526852, Miami, Florida 33152 USA. Tel +1-305-559-WRMI (9764). Fax +1-
305-559-8186. E-mail: info@wrmi.net The photo at left shows the
building where WRMI headquarters is located in suburban Miami. Viva
Miami originates from Studio One in this building. Topics for
upcoming Viva Miami programs in English beginning in August 2000
include a report on the Sixth Annual Meeting of Mexican DXers in
Oaxaca, and profiles of Radio Singapore International and Radio
Veritas Asia. Web page: http://www.wrmi.net
Wavescan: A weekly programs from Adventist World Radio for DXers and
shortwave radio enthusiasts, with news about radio around the world.
Produced by Adrian Peterson and presented by Dave Barasoain. Address:
Wavescan, P.O. Box 29235, Indianapolis, Indiana 46229 USA. Tel/Fax
+1-317-891-8540. E-mail: wavescan@awr.org. Web page:
http://www.awr.org (WRMI schedule portfolio via John Norfolk, DXLD)
** U S A. 6524.3 (870-7394.3), WWL/WRNO mix, 1145 22 Sept, WWL mixing
product noted on new time/freq this morning, previously only logged
on 6484.3 around 2300. WWL ID @ 1145. Only WWL audible on 6524.3,
both Bro Stair and WWL audible on 7394.3 (David Hodgson, TN,
harmonics via DXLD)
** U S A. WWV survey deadline near: The deadline is September 30 for
the National Institute of Standards and Technology survey seeking
information on how WWV and WWVH listeners use the standard time and
frequency broadcast services. The survey remains available on the
Web. It's also available as a printable PDF or HTML file and in a
hard-copy, mail-in version. According to WWV Station Manager John
Lowe, the last WWV-WWVH user survey was done in 1985. He confirmed
that the data collected ultimately could be used to determine whether
WWV and WWVH remain on the air--especially given the popularity of
NIST's other outlets, including its Web-based time server that gets
in excess of 3 million hits a day. While Lowe strongly encouraged all
WWV and WWVH users to send in a survey, he has suggested that more
weight will be given to responses from corporate and institutional
users. WWV in Ft Collins, Colorado, and WWVH on Kauai, Hawaii,
broadcast continuous time and frequency information to millions of
listeners worldwide. For more information, contact John Lowe,
lowe@boulder.nist.gov (ARRL via John Norfolk, DXLD)
** U S A. "Listen Live" link on WABCRadio.com page leads to WLS:
When I clicked the "Click here to listen live about the attack upon
America" I got ABC talk's drive time show in RealAudio in Chicago.
Hmm --- let's see, I heard an ad but that was for a local car dealer
so that might not count as being AFTRA-produced.
On the other hand, ABC`s right-winger in San Francisco KSFO (560 kHz)
has... (this same page has been up a while)
http://www.ksfo.com/listenlive.asp (Joel Rubin, NY, Sept 20, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WWCR continues to be uninterested in webcasting, but some
programs produced there may be heard indirectly. The Old Record Shop
and Ken`s Country Classics are recycled (or vice-versa?) Thursdays at
noon CDT (1700-1900 UT) via http://www.wrvu.org and Sept 20 at 1800
he also featured Keen on Jazz (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Hi Glenn, New webcast: WHRV Norfolk, VA. Includes Thomas
Jefferson Hour, Tuesdays 1300-1400 ET. [1700-1800 UT] Kevin Kevin
Kelly Arlington, Mass. PublicRadioFan.com
This may be the ONLY place to hear it on web, as WVRU, 2300 UT Thu
Sept 20, had some mumbling DJs on instead, contrary to own currently
dated grid still showing TJ Hour (gh, DXLD)
** U S A. Dear Radio Friend,
The latest Shortwave Report (September 21) is up on
the web at http://www.outfarpress.com in both broadcast quality (13.6
MB) and quickdownload/streaming audio (3.4 MB). It's free to
rebroadcast: please notify me if you air it, please mention the
website if you only air a portion. If you just want to listen, try
the streaming version, lower sound quality but good enough and way
easier if you don't have a high-speed internet connection.
These stories cover through Thursday morning, and
mainly focus on the 9/11 event and world opinion. As I write this
Bush Jr is about to speak. I hope you've considered getting a
shortwave radio, this is a time period when a global perspective is
essential (In my opinion)
This week's show features Radio Netherlands, China
Radio International, the Voice of Russia, Deutsche Welle, Spanish
National Radio, and Radio Havana Cuba.
From Netherlands- Bush tells the president of
Indonesia the war isn't against Muslims, while radical Muslim groups
in Indonesia threaten US property if Afghanistan is attacked; 10
times the normal amount of airline stocks were bought "short" in the
two trading days before 9/11; the first cracks in the global alliance
against terrorism are beginning to show in Europe.
From China- Pakistan and India are worried about
assisting the US against Afghanistan; China's President says the
military campaign needs to be governed by the principles of the UN
charter and international law; the Egyptian president urges the US to
not be too hasty in retaliating.
From Russia- Albanian militants say they will
attack US bases in the Balkans if the US hits Afghanistan; a global
press review covering temporary bases for the US crusade, Russia's
involvement, and the potential pitfalls of murdering Ossama bin
Laden.
From Germany- a German military professor discusses
the lack of substantial evidence showing that the attacks were
masterminded by bin Laden.
From Spain- George McGovern, US ambassador to the
UN Food Agency, says there is a critical lack of food in war-torn
Zimbabwe; the president of Pakistan speaks to his people about his
worries about upcoming US actions; a review of African newspapers
urging the US to show restraint.
From Cuba- the Cuban government is worried about
the hate and arrogance the US media is promoting in its citizens.
All this plus times and frequencies for listening
globally at home. I hope you'll listen to this program and broadcast
it if you are in that position. I'm still seeking a no-strings-
attached funder. I'd love to here any comments you might have about
any of this. link for broadcast edition-
http://www.outfarpress.com/outfarpress/swr_9_21_01.mp3
link to stream or quick download-
http://www.outfarpress.com/outfarpress/shortwave.shtml
¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts
"Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."
Eugene Ionesco (Roberts, Sept 20 via WDX6AA, shortwaves yahoogroup
via DXLD)
This is the program we mentioned months ago and again recently,
originally airing on KZYX, Mendocino County, Fridays 7 pm PDT (gh,
DXLD)
** U S A. WCBE URGENTLY needs our help! The Columbus [Ohio] Public
Schools Board of Education is currently doing the following:
- Withdrawing nearly $400,000 in support from WCBE despite the fact
that WCBE had submitted a plan asking for $100,000 less for 2001-2
than previously given in yearly support as apart of a 5-year plan to
be wholly self-sufficient. (the fact that WCBE isn't wholly self-
sufficient already has to do with the fact that until Fall 2001 - the
Board of Ed. had NEVER created paid district employee positions
within WCBE to even raise money! Would your organization or business
be able to make ends meet with no trained staff to raise funds?
- The administration is speaking with other organizations about
taking over WCBE - including WOSU. If this happens, look for programs
we currently know and love to be gutted along with the people who
produce and host them. Do we need a public radio monopoly in
Columbus?
Here are some of the things said at last night`s (9/18/01) Board
meeting:
- JEFF CABOT said he wanted the WCBE budget cut and wanted
'something' done with WCBE. He also accuses WCBE of not serving the
district in any way other than airing the Board meetings.
(FACT-WCBE like other departments in the district must follow chain
of command to communicate and CANNOT speak with board members
directly in order determine district goals for the radio station
without fear of disciplinary measures being taken. FACT-WCBE's chain
of command HAD to run through SHERRY BIRD-LONG - that's right, the
School employee facing 18 months in prison for re-directing over
$200,000 to her husbands company. IS THIS THE PERSON YOU WOULD WANT
REPRESENTING YOU TO YOUR SUPERIORS? COULD YOU TRUST A PERSON LIKE
THIS TO TRANSMIT TO YOU, YOUR EMPLOYERS EXPECTATIONS?)
- Jeff Cabot said WCBE duplicates programming (Morning Edition, All
Things Considered) with WOSU and felt that was bad for the community.
(FACT-WCBE has more listeners for any duplicated program, receives
more donations than WOSU for those programs, and broadcasts those
programs on the superior sound FM band while WOSU broadcasts them on
AM. SHOULDN'T WOSU AS THE WEAKER OF THE TWO STATIONS BE THE ONES
CONSIDERING DROPPING DUPLICATIVE PROGAMMING IF ANYONE IS GOING TO?
FACT-National consultants and programmers say this duplication is
actually beneficial because it helps hit different demographic groups
and builds the public radio 'brand' name.)
- Bill Moss challenged the attitudes and statements of Jeff Cabot and
said "It is easy to defeat a person if you first weaken them." (That
seems to be the goal behind the budget cut!) Mr. Moss also said the
district seems to have money for all kinds of other things, referring
to Cabot's 'need' to cut money from WCBE.
*********************************************************************
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP!!
Please e-mail, snail mail, or call Board Members and let them know
how important WCBE is to you and the community. Let them know you
will not tolerate WCBE being sold down the river. Give your own
personal experiences and feelings about WCBE and tell how it is
literally a part of you and something the School Board has no right
to deprive Columbus of. Also, forward this e-mail to anyone you know
that might suffer if WCBE ceases to exist. Below is a list of Board
Members and their contact details. DO NOT DELAY - ACT NOW OR OUR
CHERISHED RADIO STATION MAY BE GONE FOREVER! Look for more updates -
if you don't care about WCBE and public radio and want to be removed
from this list let me know.
Columbus Public Schools, Board of Education, 270 E. State Street,
Columbus, Ohio 43215
p. (614) 365-5000 (General number)
f. (614) 365-5689 (Office of the Superintendent)
Jeff Cabot (jeffcabot@iwaynet.net)
258 Winthrop Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43214
David A. Dobos (ddobos@columbus.k12.oh.us)
2911 Crescent Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43204
Mark D. Hatch, 4189 Rowanne Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43214
Loretta Heard (lheard@columbus.k12.oh.us)
1440 Country Club Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43227
Stephanie Hightower (shightow@columbus.k12.oh.us)
223 Woodland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43203
Bill Moss (wmoss@columbus.k12.oh.us)
1640 Franklin Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43205
Karen Schwarzwalder (kschwarz@columbus.k12.oh.us)
1293 Park Plaza Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43213
Robert W. Teater, 286 West Weisheimer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43214
gintherandrew@hotmail.com (WCBE Advocate Sept 19 via DXLD)
** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS? to VIETNAM. 15690, Voice of
Khmer Krom, Sept 14, 1356 open carrier, 1403 started with chorus
singing along with horns. [I was able to later match this up with the
audio file at their website, it looks like the program feed started
at 1400 even though the broadcast didn't.] Weak initially, but better
after I retuned at 1430 [Decided to listen to Radio Free Vietnam in
15235, which was coming in nicely today.] Long talk by man in
presumed Cambodian. I did clearly hear mentions of Kampuchea at this
time. 1438 short talk by woman that had an echo followed by a local
song. After song, two mentions of Kampuchea Krom by woman. No sign of
any jamming today. I also noticed this contact information on their
website: vokk@khmerkrom.org or P.O 121, Pensauken, NJ 08110 (Hans
Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ###